A woman's love
by Anne-Lilian
Summary: Sequel to 'A woman's touch'. Merlynn has to survive another year in Camelot, with all the usual challenges, but also has to deal with her growing (and confusing) feelings. FemMerlin/Arthur
1. The Curse of Cornelius Sigan part 1

**A/N: Here I am again! Told you I'd update this week! Anyway, thanks so much for all the support, I really appreciate it! I try to answer every review, so I'm sorry if yours didn't get answered :(**

**disclaimer: None of the Merlynn characters or events are mine, only the original characters and plotlines are mine ^^**

**dedicated to Jackalyn, 'cause she's just freaking AWESOME! Love you sweetie!**

**Allons-y!**

**Chapter 1: The Curse of Cornelius Sigan – part 1**

"Don't forget the laundry, Merlynn," Arthur reminded me absently.

It had been several weeks since Arthur had asked me about my confession, and he hadn't mentioned it once. It was as if it hadn't happened at all – if anything, we didn't know how to act around each other anymore. We were both so awkward, Morgana had even commented on it (with an annoying, knowing smirk on her face). Gwen was a little more sympathetic, as she was the only one who actually knew exactly what had happened. There was no way I would ever tell Morgana I'd confessed my love for her adopted brother while he was unconscious.

There was none of the usual banter between Arthur and me anymore, and it made me feel miserable. If one secret could cause such a rift between us, what would he do if he ever found out about my gifts? Sure, he knew about one small part of it, but he wasn't confronted with it every day; in fact, he might have even forgotten about it by now. It would be just like him.

Things were even worse between us now that Uther had suddenly developed a taste for treasure hunting. He had found some ancient text alluding to hidden treasure beneath the castle, and had immediately ordered teams to start digging… day and night. And they were loud. Very loud. And a sleep-deprived prince was not a happy prince.

I had taken to sleeping in the small antechamber next to the prince's bedroom, since he always needed something. On the third night after the digging had started, he sent me down there to tell them to stop. I was more than a little reluctant, but I also didn't want to argue with him, so I just did as I was told.

When I got there, the workers were running the other way, screaming. _'Well, that's not good,'_I thought to myself. Logic would dictate that I follow the running men, but then again, I'd never been very logical.

I followed the path and found the tomb they had laid bare. It was filled with precious stones and gold, but what drew my attention was the stone coffin in the centre. The figure of a man had been carved into the top, and, where his heart would have been, a huge, blue, heart-shaped jewel lay, faintly glowing. It drew me in, demanded all my attention. Then I hit my foot on something soft.

Looking down, I saw a man kneeling in front of the coffin. "Hello," I called, and gave the man a slight push. Instantly, I relived the man's last moment, up to the poisoned dart hitting him and killing him. I gasped in fright and ran.

/*/

The next morning, Gaius and I were back in the tomb, examining the dead man and looking for clues as to who it belonged to. I knew Gaius had an idea, but when I asked, he said he wasn't sure.

Uther, when he came down, seemed more preoccupied with all the riches than with the dead man, and Arthur was annoyed and wary.

"Have the tomb secured. Guarding it is your responsibility, Arthur," Uther ordered, and marched out.

"Yes, father," the prince replied.

Of course, the hunt that was scheduled later that day just went on as planned. I did my usual chores, getting Arthur's horse ready and putting a block next to the mare so mounting the horse would be easier. But as soon as the prince sat down in the saddle, the girth sprang loose and he fell to the ground, the horse startled into a run.

"Arthur, are you alright?" I asked, helping him up. He shrugged me off angrily.

"No, I'm bloody well not alright! You didn't do that girth up right!" As usual, when Arthur got embarrassed, he got angry, and I was a convenient target.

"I did that girth up myself, and I checked it, it was perfect!" I hissed. I'd prepared his horse a million times, and this had never happened before.

"Well, obviously it wasn't!" he retorted.

We were interrupted by a man who, in my eyes, had rat-like features. He was fairly nondescript, except that he was leading Arthur's horse back to us. "Shall I do the girth up properly, sire?" he asked, all subservient and respectful. I disliked him already.

"Yes, thank you," the prince replied distractedly.

The rat-like man gave a little bow. "It's an honour to be of service to the prince," he said.

Arthur turned to me, smug smile already on his lips. "An honour. Do you hear that, Merlynn?"

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Allow me the honour of brushing your clothes down," the man now said, having found a relatively clean brush somewhere. He pretended to pick something off the prince's vest, and I glared. I'd painstakingly washed that vest the previous evening. Even after falling on the ground, it wasn't dirty.

"_The honour_," Arthur mouthed at me.

"Anything else I can do for you, sire?" the man asked. He was seriously annoying me with his bowing and scraping and almost kissing the earth Arthur walked on.

"You can give Merlynn a kick up the backside," he replied. I was fairly sure he didn't mean it. Then again…

The man started to move towards me, but I glared at him. "One more step, and you'll never use those legs again," I threatened.

Rat-face gulped and turned back to Arthur, who had remained oblivious to the exchange. "I wouldn't wish to deprive you of the pleasure, sir."

Arthur actually _smiled_ at that. I clenched my teeth, but remained outwardly as calm as I could. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Cedric. I've come to Camelot in search of work."

"Good, you can be a beater on the hunt. We're short a man or two," Arthur said, mounting his horse again.

"You're too kind, sire," rat-face said.

I picked up one of the rods used for beating, and walked over to him. "Here, you'll need a beater." I slammed it into his gut, not hard enough to really hurt, but enough to wind the man. "Oops, sorry," I said insincerely.

I guess I wasn't very good with embarrassment either.

/*/

The hunt was absolutely miserable.

I had tried to stay close to Cedric, because I didn't trust him. I saved Arthur's life, again. And, when I couldn't claim to have done so without revealing my gifts, Cedric had taken credit. The little bugger had pretended to be all humble and modest, when I'd seen him cower in fear as the huge boar had stormed Arthur.

And so rat-face had wormed his way into the royal household; as a _reward_ for 'saving the prince's life'. Stupid little miserable excuse for a human being.

In the meantime, Gaius had found out that the tomb had belonged to Cornelius Sigan: the most powerful sorcerer to have lived, and a figure of nightmares. Gaius worried that Sigan might've succeeded in finding a way to cheat death.

/*/

"You mean she had another vision?" I asked. Gwen had found me in the kitchens as I was gathering Arthur's breakfast and told me that Morgana had woken from another nightmare in the middle of the night. "Did she tell you what it was about?"

Gwen shook her head. "She didn't want to say, but… Merlynn, she was scared to death."

I sighed. "I have to run, Gwen – I'm late with Arthur's breakfast – but I promise I'll check up on her today. Ask Gaius in the meantime."

"Thank you, Merlynn."

By the time I got to the prince's chambers, Cedric was already there, with an entire banquet of food. This bloke was laying it on thick. Early on in my service, I'd made it a point not to give Arthur too big of a breakfast, and he'd never had a problem with that. Until now, it seemed.

"Is there anything else that you need doing, sire?" I asked through gritted teeth. To hell with complaining about my chores; they were mine, and I was proud of my job!

"No, I think Cedric's got it all covered," he replied casually. I stood there, jaw clenched, glaring at the other servant. How dare he steal my job like this?

"Oh, I regret, sire, there is one thing I failed to do: muck out your horses."

Fantastic, my favourite thing to do.

"Off you go," Arthur said.

"I can't," I said, but regretted it instantly. I had no reason not to; I just asked for work!

Arthur finally looked up. "And why not?"

"I need to visit the Lady Morgana," I blurted out. It was actually a good excuse.

Arthur frowned. "Morgana?"

"Yes, she had another nightmare. That's why I was late, sire, Gwen was telling me about it."

"So you were gossiping," the prince interpreted flatly.

"No, she was relaying news. I often go to Morgana after she's had a night like this. Aside from Gwen, I'm the only one she feels comfortable telling them to," I said.

Arthur shook his head and dug back in to the enormous meal. "Well, Morgana can wait. She's not dreaming now, is she?" he asked rhetorically.

I clenched my teeth again. "Of course, sire." If I kept doing this, I'd ruin my teeth.

/*/

I woke up lying on something soft, a horrible smell penetrating my nostrils. I cracked open one eye, and was confronted with a most unwelcome sight. I was in the stables, and there was horse dung barely an inch in front of my face. I scrambled up in disgust… only to come face-to-face with a very angry-looking Arthur.

"What are you doing?" he asked, in a relatively neutral tone.

"Nothing," I said quickly, standing up fully. I knew I must've been blushing furiously by now. Had I really fallen asleep in the stables?

"I can see that. Perhaps you were looking for something?" Again, he used that reasonable tone. It didn't bode well for me.

"Looking for something, sire?" I asked. My head hurt, and my brain was still somewhat clouded.

"The horses!" he shouted, losing all pretence of calm now. I looked around and noticed, for the first time, that the horses were indeed gone. I closed my eyes briefly. That explained Arthur's anger.

"Look, one mistake I understand, but this is one thing after another," he said, a little calmer now.

"I don't know what happened," I whispered, more to myself than to the prince.

Arthur looked a little uncomfortable with the situation himself, but was saved from having to reply as Cedric walked in. "Please, sire, don't be too hard on her. She's a good servant, she's just… tired," he said. He stepped forward, intending to put his hand on my shoulder, but I stepped back.

"Don't touch me, that threat still stands. And I am not tired!" I shouted. That little weasel was trying to get rid of me! But why…?

"Maybe if she had the evening off," Cedric went on, though he did keep his distance this time. "A good night's rest…"

"Excuse me?" I said, indignantly. The nerve of that rat!

"I'm more than willing to take over her duties tonight," he continued as if I hadn't spoken at all.

"Perhaps you're right–" Arthur started, but I wasn't just going to let him do this.

"No! Can't you see what he's trying to do? He's trying to get rid of me for some reason, and if you weren't such a clotpole, you'd see that!" I shouted.

"A what?" Arthur asked, his anger clearly flaring again. Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have insulted him, but he was being unreasonable!

I saw Cedric open his mouth again, probably to utter another oh-so-reasonable suggestion, but I wasn't going to let him. "A clotpole," I said, not caring that I'd insulted the prince twice now. "Or would you prefer prat? I've called you that a million times and you haven't cared! You're acting like one, and I never pull punches, you know that!" I screamed.

Arthur clenched his jaw. "Cedric's right, he can look after me tonight. And you can go home and think about whether you want to be my servant or not."

Something in me snapped; I hadn't been this angry in years. "There's no need, sire. I quit!" I said, and stormed out, not even thinking about the repercussions.

I felt a grim satisfaction at seeing the hurt flash across the prince's eyes before I left. He didn't call me back.

/*/

As usual, Gaius had some comforting words to offer as well as some bad news. It appeared that the blue jewel on Sigan's coffin was not just a gem, but contained the evil sorcerer's very soul.

Well, at least my attention was diverted.

That night I was woken by a powerful surge of magic coursing through me. Not knowing what it was, I shoved it to the back of my mind and went back to sleep.

It was not until the next morning that it became obvious what it had been. Cornelius Sigan's tomb had been raided, and the jewel that had once been a vibrant, pulsating blue, was now colourless and empty.

And the only one with access to the keys had been Cedric.

My only problem now was how to tell Arthur that his new favourite servant was not only a thief, but also possessed by a long-deceased, evil sorcerer. I was not looking forward to that conversation.

**A/N: Review! Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! ^^**


	2. The Curse of Cornelius Sigan part2

**A/N: Hey, flute1021, I play the flute too! Anywhoo,I know it took me longer than I said it would, but the next two chapters are already written and on their way to my beta!  
**

**dedicated to my friend Diana, because she made me feel better this week ^^**

**Chapter 2: The Curse of Cornelius Sigan – part 2**

"Cedric is the thief, and he's now possessed by an evil sorcerer named Cornelius Sigan," I said as I strode into Arthur's chambers. No need to beat around the bush, it wouldn't make it any easier.

"What?" Arthur asked, looking at me like I was a lunatic.

"He tried to steal the jewel, but it wasn't a jewel, it was the soul of an ancient sorcerer – Sigan."

Arthur leaned forward, an annoyed expression on his face. "Merlynn, have you been on the cider?"

"Please, _listen_ to me," I begged. Hadn't he learned by now that I was always right about these kinds of things? "Camelot is in mortal danger. Sigan is using Cedric's body to take his revenge!"

"This nonsense isn't helping you keep your job."

"You are not listening to me!" I shouted, getting more and more annoyed with that idiot.

"If you're going to shout anyway… Cedric!"

"Arthur, you're being an idiot! _Listen to me!"_ I screamed.

The prince just raised an unimpressed eyebrow and motioned for Cedric to escort me out. I considered lunging at him, but figured I wasn't really strong enough, even if Cedric was rather wiry and thin.

Guards had followed Cedric in, hearing the shouting, and Arthur now motioned for them to grab my arms. "Maybe you'll learn some manners after a night in the cells."

/*/

Gwen came by about an hour before sunset, bringing me some food. "What's going on?" she asked quietly, so the guards wouldn't hear.

"Cedric, Arthur's new servant, is being possessed by an evil, ancient sorcerer named Cornelius Sigan. He's going to destroy Camelot, and Arthur won't listen to me," I said. I'd kept my tears at bay as long as I could, but now that Gwen was here, I fell apart.

"Why do I still feel this way, Gwen? He's a prat, and he's spoiled and childish, and he can be _so_ cruel…"

Gwen smiled, a little sadly. "Because of all the good sides of his personality, and because you wouldn't love him if he weren't childish from time to time," she replied sympathetically. "You can see the potential in him, and he'll change eventually, Merlynn."

I closed my eyes and rested my head against the wall, suddenly exhausted. "But that's just the thing, Gwen; I can wait for him to grow up, but then what? He's not mine, and he never will be. He's the prince, and I'm just a servant, and not exactly a normal one," I said, not willing to say the word 'sorceress' this close to the guards. "One day he'll marry a princess or lady, and I'll still be beside him."

"You don't know that. Uther might enforce that law about commoners and nobility, but Arthur won't, you know he won't. He doesn't care about social status. He _loves _you, Merlynn," the other maid reasoned.

I snorted. "He has a funny way of showing it." I looked out the small window in my cell. "You should go home, Gwen, it's getting dark."

Gwen hesitated, clearly not willing to leave me with my self-pity. I gave her a pointed look, and she smiled, getting to her feat. She called for the guard, and he opened the cell door.

"I'll come by Gaius's tomorrow, all right?" she said, but was already being ushered out by the guard.

I was left to spend an uncomfortable night in the cells… again.

/*/

I had barely closed my eyes when the screaming started. I shouted at the bars, but every guard in the castle was probably helping outside. Trusting that no one would hear me, I held out my hand towards the bars. "_Tospringe_."

I ran straight for the central courtyard. My guess was that the main battle was going on there, and Arthur was always where the battle was. Of course, I was right. Just as I got there, Arthur was getting up, dodging a… a gargoyle? No time to think about it. I ran to him.

"Merlynn? What are you doing out? That thing could have kill you!" Arthur said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I was about to give a very witty retort when I spotted the gargoyles circling back behind the prince. "It still might!" I shouted as I dived at the prince, knocking him to the ground in the process. Of course, this meant that I ended up on top of him.

As I helped him up, I noticed Arthur wince. "You're hurt," I said, noting the blood on his chainmail. I lifted a hand, already in physician mode, but he stopped me.

"Maybe we should get inside, Merlynn?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"Right…" I said, and allowed the prince to lead me to the temporary infirmary.

"I'll get you something to stop the bleeding," I said once Arthur sat down, and moved to get supplies.

"Merlynn," Arthur called back. I turned. "Just… You keep surprising me…"

I grinned. "I'm a mystery," I joked, and turned, only for Arthur's voice to stop me again.

"Merlynn… Thank you."

I smiled softly. He might've been a prat, and arrogant, and plain mean, but he was also noble, and kind, and gentle when he wanted to be.

Gwen accompanied me on my way back to Arthur. I realized I wouldn't have enough bandages, so I sent her ahead. It's a good thing that I did, because Uther walked in, asking for a report from his son. I quickly hid behind a column, pretending to tend to another patient and keeping my head down.

Uther ordered that the citadel be sealed, to protect those who had a chance. And, naturally, Arthur wouldn't let the people trapped on the drawbridge just be killed, so he stormed out, half a dozen men following him.

That idiot was going to get himself killed! He could barely move his left arm!

I snuck away, and drew Gaius's attention.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed, pulling me deeper into the shadows.

"I have to help Arthur," I said, ignoring his question.

"Merlynn, Sigan's power is far beyond yours," Gaius reasoned.

"I don't have a choice."

"But Sigan is immortal, and you are not. If you face him, he will destroy you," he warned.

"There must be a way," I pleaded.

Gaius sighed. "There is only one alive who is old enough to give us the answers we seek."

I had a sinking suspicion I knew who he was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"The Great Dragon."

"You knew, then… that I used to visit him?" I asked.

"Yes, Merlynn, of course I knew. You're a creature of magic, just as he is. I'd hoped that he could help you."

"He helps no one but himself," I said bitterly, thinking of how he'd tricked me to give up my mother's life.

"For Arthur's sake, you must go to him now."

"I can't," I refused, not wanting to face the truth.

"We have no choice," Gaius pressed. Eventually, I gave in.

/*/

The Dragon made me promise to release him one day, and while I didn't want that, I had no choice. It was either release him, or risk losing Arthur. He gave me a powerful spell to defeat Sigan, and the instant knowledge of how to use it. I could tell that anyone even a little less powerful than myself would not be able to cast it.

I ran towards the drawbridge, but found Arthur in the central courtyard, facing those gargoyles all by himself. He was knocked unconscious and helpless as another creature flew at him. A simple spell turned it to nothing but rubble.

He was still alive, thank God, only out cold. As I checked him over, a voice echoed over the square.

"Who would have believed it? You, a sorceress, and a powerful one…" Cedric – or rather Sigan – said, calmly stepping over rubble and dead bodies towards me.

"I won't let you hurt him," I said defiantly, standing to protect my prince.

"And you're going to stop me?" he asked derisively.

I stepped clear of the prince, circling Sigan so that he was no longer facing Arthur. "I will stop you."

"He does not deserve your loyalty. He treats you like a slave!"

"That's not true."

"He cast you aside without a moment's thought."

"It doesn't matter." I knew he was baiting me, but his words still stung. Arthur hadn't been the nicest person lately, and I had been mad at him.

"But it must hurt so much, to be so put upon, so overlooked, when all the while you have such power."

"That's the way it has to be," I answered, but could tell that it was a weak argument. I would've liked to say that Arthur would change, that it wouldn't always be like this, but did I really know that?

"Does it? You're young and beautiful, Merlynn, look inside yourself. You've yet to discover your true power. I can help you." And that's where he had me. My insatiable curiosity and desire to learn new things, especially magic things, were going to be the end of me. I did sometimes wish that I had more knowledge, and was better at magic, and Sigan knew more than I could possibly imagine.

"Think, Merlynn," he went on. "To have the world appreciate your greatness, to have Arthur know you for what you are." How did he know exactly the things I wished for most? Recognition, especially from Arthur, were what I wanted more than anything.

I hesitated. "That can never be," I replied, but even to my own ears, it sounded as though I was trying to convince myself.

"It can! If you join me. Together we can rule over this land; you would be queen! Arthur would tremble at your voice, he will kneel at your feet!"

The trance was broken. I pictured Arthur as Sigan described, and felt horrified at the scene. I never wanted Arthur to be afraid of me, I only wanted him to see me as an equal. "I don't want that," I said firmly.

Sigan looked disgusted at my answer. "You'd rather be a servant?"

"Better to serve a good man, than to rule with an evil one!" I spat.

Sigan looked furious. "So be it. If you will not join me, I will become you, and your power will be harnessed to my will!"

And with that, Cedric fell to the ground, lifeless, as a blue wisp of fog crawled out of him and towards me. As it swirled faster and faster, I recited the spell the Dragon had given me. The fog was now creeping up my leg, and I hurried to say the rest of the spell. Then it entered my mouth, and I felt Sigan trying to take control.

A battle of wills commenced, and at first Sigan felt triumphant – I could feel what he felt. Then, as I threw everything I had into stopping him, his surprise was palpable, but his greed was, too. He wanted my power, and he wanted my body for himself. It made me feel sick.

Vaguely, I realized I was now on the ground, and wondered how I had gotten there. But that brief moment of distraction gave Sigan what he wanted. He took control, and I panicked as he made my body stand up against my will.

As Arthur's prone form caught my eyes again, anger flared up in me. There was no way in hell that I was going to let this bastard use my body to torture and murder my friends. Again I felt Sigan's surprise, as I was suddenly able to take control again. It was easy. I violently pushed the evil sorcerer to a corner of my mind and grabbed the empty jewel that I'd shoved in my pocket. I used all my anger and frustration – and I had a lot of it – to finished the Dragon's spell and shove Sigan into the jewel.

It was over…

I was exhausted, but it was over. As the fog around me cleared, I saw Gaius standing at the edge of the courtyard, watching me warily. I smiled and held up the now-blue jewel. Sigan was gone.

I rushed forward and enveloped my uncle in a hug. "Well done, my girl, well done!" he said in my ear.

Suddenly, I remembered Arthur, and let go of Gaius to run to him. He was still unconscious, but he was stirring. "We have to get him inside," I said, and ran off to get some guards to help me.

/*/

Arthur finally woke up when I was cleaning out the wound on his chest. "Good morning, sire. Sleep well?" I joked, keeping my eyes on my task. He tried to sit up, but winced. I pushed him back and looked him in the eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"What happened? Where's Sigan?" he asked, but stayed down.

"Sigan's dead, sire, and you're hurt, so lie still, will you?" I asked, maybe a little more bitingly than I'd intended.

The prince was about to reply when the King walked into the temporary infirmary. I froze, but there was nowhere to hide. Uther walked all the way up to Arthur's bed, but unlike usually, he didn't immediately ignore me. "Weren't you in the dungeons?"

I was inwardly scrambling for an excuse, but my mind came up blank. "I let her out when Sigan attacked, father. We needed more nurses," Arthur replied in my place.

The King nodded absently and asked Arthur how he was doing.

"Just a little sore, I'll be fine in the morning," he replied nonchalantly.

I turned to the prince sharply. "No you will not! You need time to heal, sire. You're not using that arm for at least two days," I said firmly, forgetting for the moment who was present.

I blushed deeply when the King raised an eyebrow at me. I quickly mumbled an apology and fled the infirmary.

/*/

Later that day, I was outside, helping Morgana and Gwen go around town and tend to those who hadn't made it to the infirmary. The Lady seemed much calmer and more focussed than the last time I'd seen her. She really cared about the people.

"Morgana?" I asked when we finally took a break. It'd been five hours since we started, and we hadn't even made a dent in all the work.

"Yes, Merlynn?" she replied, passing a cup of water to Gwen.

"How are you feeling? I know you had another dream before this mess started…" I said, hoping I wasn't offending her.

Morgana smiled kindly. "I'm fine, Merlynn; Gaius gave me another sleeping draught. But thank you for asking."

I returned the smile, but I was still worried. "Just don't overdo it. I know you care about the people, but if you need rest, take it. You aren't any good exhausted."

"Of course," she said, and got back up to help a nearby woman with a head wound.

"You know she'll just ignore that advice, right?" Gwen asked, handing the cup of water back.

"Yes, I know."

/*/

**Arthur POV**

Arthur stood on the battlements, overseeing the work being done in the upper town. Sigan's gargoyles had done considerable damage, and it would take months for everything to be restored to the way it was before. His eyes caught two familiar forms tending to another injured person at the edge of the upper town. A green and a blue dress: Morgana and Merlynn.

He realized he'd acted horribly towards his maidservant these past few days. _'Former maidservant,'_ he thought bitterly as he remembered her quitting. Why did this always happen to them? They were the closest friends – though he'd never admit it, least of all to Merlynn – yet they always seemed to end up fighting. A little ashamedly, he recalled that most times it was because he was being, in Merlynn's words, a clotpole.

And then there was the fact that she was hiding something from him. Something she'd said or done while he was unconscious during the Questing Beast debacle.

As he looked down at her now, he couldn't help a small smile. She was probably the most selfless person he'd ever met, and she was always there for her friends. And she had this annoying knack of always being right.

When she'd come to his chambers to warn him about Cedric, he'd assumed that she was jealous, or just wanted attention, which just proved how little he really knew about her. He spent almost his entire day in her presence, and yet he barely knew her.

"Sire," a voice behind him said. For a moment he thought it might be Merlynn, and he felt far too happy about that, until he remembered that she was in the town below, and that the voice had been male.

Arthur turned around to face Gaius. "Gaius, can I help you?"

"I need to look at your shoulder, sire. You might want to come inside," the old physician replied, gesturing to the door.

The prince sighed and looked behind him at the familiar form in the blue dress again. "Gaius, how long have you known Merlynn?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Gaius came to stand beside him, following the prince's gaze. "Since she came to Camelot, sire."

"But you're her uncle…" Arthur said. Surely he must've known her since birth?

"I knew she existed, but I'd never seen her before she arrived here. Her mother and I were born so far apart, we weren't very close," he explained.

Arthur knew he was staring at the physician, and he knew that Gaius was suspicious. After all, why would a prince want to know about the life of a lowly servant? But he couldn't help himself. Merlynn was a mystery to him, a mystery he absolutely had to solve. "What can you tell me about her?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" the old man suggested kindly.

Arthur had a suspicion he didn't want to talk about his niece without her there, but the prince had to know. "I'm asking you."

Gaius took a deep breath and stared down at where he knew his niece to be. "She's generally a very cheerful person, she likes to have fun. She can be a bit lazy when not prompted often enough, but I suspect you already know that," he said, but Arthur didn't respond. His eyes were glued to the blue figure down on the ground. "She's had a very lonely childhood, with only her mother and one friend to keep her company, so any friends she has now, she would do anything for."

"I've noticed," Arthur replied, thinking of how Merlynn had claimed she was a sorceress when Gwen had been accused, and of every time he'd needed her.

"I don't know exactly what you want to know, sire."

Arthur sighed and tore his gaze away from the enigma that was his maidservant. "You've told me enough for now, Gaius. Let's get inside."

Gaius gave a respectful bow and preceded him into the castle. Arthur shot one more look over his shoulder, but Merlynn was nowhere to be seen.

He vowed to apologise to her, later. Maybe she'd give him some answers as well.

/*/

Arthur stood nervously outside Gaius's chambers, thinking about what to say. Then, telling himself he was being ridiculous, he raised his hand and knocked. A moment later, Merlynn opened the door, looking surprised.

"Arthur? You never knock," she said. Of course. Not 'Arthur, what are you doing here,' but 'You never knock.'

The prince rolled his eyes. "A habit I picked up from you. Can I come in, or do you expect me to stand out here?"

Merlynn stood aside and waved him in. He'd been in Gaius's chambers a million times, yet this time, he was nervous. Which was preposterous; it was _his_ castle, after all. Arthur shook his head, and told himself to just apologise.

"What are you doing here, sire? I quit, remember? And Gaius is still in the infirmary," Merlynn said, busying herself by cleaning up some of the infinite mess. She didn't face me.

"I know. I came to talk to you."

Merlynn stopped what she was doing, but kept her eyes on her hands. "I came to apologise," Arthur said calmly. "There may have been some truth to your allegations against Cedric."

Finally, Merlynn turned around and faced him. "Some truth?" she asked, icily.

Arthur sat down on a bench. "Fine, you were right. Cedric was being possessed."

"Is that all you're here for?" she asked, turning back to the flasks she was organizing.

Arthur frowned. Merlynn wouldn't have asked if she hadn't expected him to say something else. But what? "Uhm… no?" he asked more than said.

Merlynn simply raised her eyebrows at him again. "Yes?"

Arthur frantically thought back to the last few days. What else–? Oh… that. "I'm… I'm sorry for how I treated you. I shouldn't have trusted Cedric so easily."

Merlynn grinned widely. "I did tell you never to get a bootlicker."

The prince immediately returned the grin: Merlynn's good humour was always infectious.

"I'll be back to work the day after tomorrow, sire," she said. Arthur's grin fell a little. He'd expected her to come back that day or maybe the next.

"Oh, don't be a child," she chided, lightly slapping his arm. "Gaius needs me to take care of the wounded. You can dress yourself for a little while longer, can't you?"

Arthur rolled his eyes and left without replying, because when had he ever gotten the last word around Merlynn?

**A/N: Yup, it's not long now until they FINALLY get together. Seriously, I can't wait to write that ^^**

**From now on I'll start messing up the timeline a little more.**

**Review!**


	3. The Once and Future Queen part 1

**A/N: Hey! Here's chapter 3. I promise I've already started chapter 5. I haven't written a lot lately, but that's all my friend Jackalyn's fault; she gave me a new book-.-**

**Anywhoo, this chapter is dedicated to my friend Linley, because she gave me Star Wars cookies!**

**Chapter 3: The Once and Future Queen – part 1**

**Merlynn POV**

Arthur was such an idiot. He had convinced himself that all of his knights were just letting him win, and he wanted to prove himself – never mind the fact that he'd won countless tournaments against opponents from outside of Camelot.

He told his father he needed to leave for a few days to go deal with a magical beast close to the northern borders. Arthur never actually left Camelot, though. He still wanted to compete in the upcoming jousting tournament, so he decided to conceal his presence in the city to avoid preferential treatment.

Naturally, _I_ still had to hide him somewhere, and Gaius's chambers were not exactly the most inconspicuous place, so I asked Gwen for a huge favour. She wasn't happy about it, but she knew how much it meant to me.

I also found a farmer from one of the outlying villages to play a 'knight'. Arthur would be the one actually competing, but we needed a public face. I forged another seal of nobility (Arthur gave me a look, but didn't ask) and we had a new knight: Sir William of Deira.

Of course, we didn't tell Gaius about this whole arrangement, so I was working full-time on both my job as Arthur's servant, and Gaius's apprentice.

The morning after smuggling Arthur back into the city, the tournament began, and 'Sir William' was doing a fair impersonation for someone who had never even seen a knight before I'd brought him to Camelot. As Arthur competed – and won, round after round – Gwen found me and complained about Arthur's rude behaviour. "How do you put up with it? How did you ever fall for him? You're always so nice…" she said, sitting with me in Sir William's tent. The actual Sir William was passed out on a cot in the corner.

"I don't know. I just did, I guess…" I replied, polishing Arthur's spare shield.

"But he's such a…" Gwen trailed off.

"Prat?" I offered, and Gwen laughed.

"Yes, a prat."

"You get used to it. And he's less of a prat when he has all of his luxuries around him. Remember Ealdor? It was just luck that he respected my mother enough not to be rude."

"It's not that he's rude on purpose," Gwen interjected. "He's just so oblivious."

I sighed sadly. "I know."

"Oh, Merlynn, I didn't mean it that way… I just meant that he expects me to cater to his every whim and never even says 'thank you'. He even took my bed!"

I frowned. "You let him take your bed?"

"I didn't _let_ him do anything. He's the prince–"

"That doesn't mean that everyone has to kiss up to him," I interrupted. "Knock him over the head if he won't listen, it's what I do most of the time."

Gwen grinned at the image. "I'll be fine. It's only a few more days, right?"

"What's only a few more days?" Arthur asked as he walked into the tent. Gwen and I made eye contact and burst out laughing.

"Nothing, sire," I managed between sniggers. "Just girl talk."

Arthur just rolled his eyes and woke 'William' up to acknowledge the crowd.

/*/

After a rather explosive rant to Gaius as a result of a lack of sleep, I joined Gwen and Arthur in William's tent again. As Arthur jousted against Sir Leon, Gwen told me what had happened the previous night.

"For a moment, I really thought he was being noble, and he sounded so sincere. And then he was being a prat again."

I laughed. "He doesn't do it on purpose, Gwen. He's been told since birth that he's special and that others should always treat him like the royalty he is."

"That's no excuse, though," she said.

"I know, I'm working on it. Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't sacked me yet. I'm probably the only one who doesn't treat him that way," I said thoughtfully.

"That's why he loves you, he just doesn't realize it yet," Gwen whispered so that 'William' wouldn't hear.

I had no answer to that.

/*/

As 'Sir William' was greeting the crowds and Arthur was resting in the tent, I watered the horse. A dark-skinned man approached me, petting the horse.

"He's a fine horse. I see your master has advanced to the finals. He's extremely skilled with a lance," the man said, not unkindly.

"He's doing well. Just one more match to go," I said with a smile. I was excited, both for Arthur, and for all this to be over.

"Tell me, what is he like to work for?" the stranger asked curiously.

"Between you and me, he can be a bit of a prat," I said mock-conspiratorially.

The man laughed along. "So you are no longer working for prince Arthur?"

"No," I answered automatically. "Well, yes actually, not right now. Arthur's away, I was just reassigned." I really hoped he hadn't heard the lie in my voice.

"Well, I wish your master luck in the final," the man said kindly, and walked off.

I watched him go, an uneasy feeling growing in my gut. I didn't trust that man.

/*/

On my way to Gwen's house after the tournament was over, I encountered her on the street.

"Gwen," I called, smiling.

"Merlynn. I yelled at Arthur," she said bluntly. She looked a little uncomfortable at the memory.

"Why?" I asked.

"He was just so rude, and I… I snapped. But he told me I was right, and that he was going to cook me dinner," she said. She looked a little puzzled, and a bit worried at that prospect.

"Arthur's cooking?" I asked apprehensively. The prince was okay if he had to skin and roast meat over an open fire, but an actual meal?

Gwen shrugged.

"I'll go make sure he doesn't burn your house down. Or poison you, for that matter," I said with a grin.

Gwen returned the smile, looking more than a little relieved. "Thanks, Merlynn, I appreciate it."

/*/

When I walked into Gwen's house, Arthur was inspecting the chicken like he'd never seen one before. Come to think of it, he probably _hadn't_ ever seen an uncooked one before.

"Gwen says you're cooking," I stated, pulling a face. I knew how bad his cooking skills were.

"Merlynn, thank god. I need you to go to the palace kitchens and fetch me two meals."

"So, you're not cooking?"

"No, and Gwen doesn't need to know that. As far as she's concerned, dinner will have been prepared and cooked by me."

"Are you trying to impress her?" I asked, hoping he wouldn't hear the disappointment in my voice. _'Please say no, please say no...'_

"Don't be ridiculous, Merlynn. And get me a decent shirt, these clothes are making me itch all over."

I crossed my arms. "If you said you're going to cook for her, then you're going to cook for her. I'll walk you through it, it'll be fine."

"But I don't _want_ to cook dinner," Arthur said in his best impersonation of a petulant five-year-old.

I just raised an eyebrow and set to work.

/*/

Later that night, Gaius and I were called to examine a dead body. It was a guard whose neck had been broken. It appeared that King Odin had sent an assassin to kill Arthur.

Uther ordered Leon to have the entire lower town searched. As soon as the knight and king left, I bent down to the guard's body. I really didn't want to do this, but I had to. For Arthur.

I touched the man's skin and instantly relived his last moments. It was dark, but I saw the assassin's face clearly in the memory. It was the stranger that had talked to me. I had to tell Arthur!

/*/

When I stormed into Gwen's house, Arthur and Gwen jumped apart, like they had been about to do something they shouldn't have been. I shook it aside. This was _Gwen,_ for God's sakes. She would never.

"Arthur, there's an assassin in Camelot, he's here to kill you. He killed a guard, and I… I touched his face…"

"Merlynn…" Arthur's voice sounded equal parts worried, exasperated and angry.

"The assassin talked to me today, Arthur. He's here, and he's trying to find you. He knows you're not with the patrol. Your father said Odin sent him."

"Why would Odin want you dead?" Gwen asked.

Arthur walked to the other side of the table, and stared at the opposite wall. "Because I killed his son."

"What?" I breathed. Arthur would never kill a man in cold blood, I knew that.

"Odin's son challenged me to a fight. I had no quarrel with him. I asked him to withdraw. Perhaps he felt he had to prove himself… I still see his face… He looked so scared."

For a moment, it was quiet. Then I stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You cannot blame yourself, Arthur," I whispered. Then, louder: "No one but us knows where you are, if the assassin can't find you, he can't kill you."

"May I continue to stay here?" he asked of Gwen. He really was learning manners.

"Of course, for as long as you need," Gwen replied immediately.

As they argued over sleeping arrangements, I felt a small twinge of doubt. Had something happened between the two of them…?

**A/N: IMPORTANT! Tell me your feelings about Morgana, good, evil... I already made plans, but I would really appreciate your input.**


	4. The Once and Future Queen part 2

**A/N: Yes, another one already, don't get used to it ^^**

**Chapter 4: The Once and Future Queen – part 2**

**Gwen POV**

The next morning, as Gwen watched Arthur pull on his long, blue cloak, she couldn't help but worry. She did that a lot – worrying, that is. 'What if' scenarios ran through her mind, most of them ending with Merlynn in tears, as the prince fastened the cord.

"One more match, and the tournament will be over." He said that strangely reluctantly. Perhaps he simply didn't want it to end. After all, he had never before been treated just like everyone else.

"You can go back to being prince, Arthur," Gwen said, trying to cheer him up. She feared that he still heard the worry in her voice, though.

An awkward silence followed. This, also, happened a lot to Gwen. She tended to babble, and say strange things, and then hurry to correct herself. By doing so, she often just made it worse, she knew– And then, before she knew it, his lips were on hers.

And it felt _good_. Gwen had never been kissed before, and only been in love once before, with Lancelot. She couldn't help herself; she was so shocked by the whole situation that she just froze.

Then he pulled back, and they stared at each other awkwardly for a moment. Gwen could feel the heat rising to her cheeks as she realized what had happened. "Oh no," she breathed. "No, no, no, this is not supposed to be happening…" She quickly stepped back from the prince.

"Guinevere," Arthur tried, but she stepped back again.

"You should be kissing Merlynn, not me!"

Arthur stopped in his tracks. "Merlynn?"

"Yes, Merlynn. She's the one you love, not me," Gwen wailed. She couldn't believe she'd done this to her best friend. Merlynn would be heartbroken.

"I don't lo–" Arthur started, but the maid interrupted him.

"Of course you love her! You just don't realize it yet. The only reason you kissed me is because I've been acting more like her these past few days, but that's not who I am!" she shouted, and ran out the back door. She couldn't face Arthur like this – or Merlynn, for that matter. Oh god, what would she say to Merlynn…?

/*/

**Arthur POV**

So… he'd kissed Gwen…

And he'd felt nothing. He'd thought he'd felt some attraction to the maid, especially since the dinner he'd cooked, but when he actually kissed her, he felt nothing. He'd kissed girls before – he wasn't a hermit, after all – but Gwen just felt like all the others. He would've thought that love felt more… unique.

And then she'd gone on a rant about how he should be kissing Merlynn, and it baffled the prince. Kissing Merlynn? He had to admit that she could be an attractive girl if she wanted to be. Nowhere near Morgana's beauty, or even Gwen's elegance, but she shone with a power and authority that one wouldn't typically expect in a servant.

Gwen had said that he was in love with Merlynn. The idea was preposterous, and yet… He remembered how desperate he'd felt when she'd drunk the poison meant for him. He pictured her in his mind, cheeky grin in place, her hair in the usual braid and her ridiculously large ears prominently displayed. Then, he pictured her as he'd seen her when they'd rescued the druid boy: in a deep blue dress, her hair down because she hadn't had time to braid it, and a soft smile on her face as she looked at the child. In that instant, she had been the most beautiful woman in the world.

He recalled how jealous he'd felt when he had realized that Merlynn and Will had been a couple before she left Ealdor, how willing she'd been to drink the poison for him during the unicorn situation. She was so incredibly self-sacrificing and generous… She was kind, and honestly funny, witty, and could banter like nobody else. But, most importantly, she was always honest with him. She told him when she thought he was being an idiot, and she was a horrible liar.

Did that mean he loved her? He didn't think so… As Gwen rushed out of her own house, Arthur vowed to watch Merlynn more carefully in the next few days, and to think about his own behaviour. He was fairly sure Gwen was wrong, but there was a nagging sense of doubt in the back of his mind.

/*/

**Merlynn POV**

At first, I thought the final was going well. I was watching from the sidelines as Arthur and Sir Alynor charged at each other, and I saw the prince get hit. He was bent over his horse, and clutching his chest as he directed his horse over to the lance rack at his end of the arena. As the other rider made his round, I saw a metal stake being pulled back into the lance. I left Gwen to tend to Arthur, so that I could follow the other knight.

I peered through a gap in the canvas and saw the assassin I'd seen in the dead guard's memories. Glancing down, I also saw the body of Sir Alynor underneath a table.

I ran, hoping to catch up to Arthur before he would ride back into the jousting arena. I saw Gwen standing near the lances and bolted to her. "Gwen! Where's Arthur?"

"He's about to joust," she replied, not meeting my gaze.

"He's jousting against the assassin!" I shouted and continued running. I had to stop him! If something happened to Arthur now…

I got there in time to see the two charging at each other, but Arthur was swaying in the saddle, obviously hurt; he was losing too much blood. I saw the stake slide out of the assassin's lance, and made a snap decision. I whispered a spell to break the murderer's saddle straps and hoped that the roar of the crowd would cover my whispered words.

Myror, as the assassin was called, moved his arms to maintain his balance, thereby bringing the lance off-course. Arthur, with one last effort, lined up his own lance and unsaddled Myror.

Arthur had won the tournament, and Myror broke his neck in the fall.

As soon as I knew for certain that the man was dead, I rushed to Arthur's side, helping his off the horse. I was just happy he was all right.

/*/

**Arthur POV**

"You were jousting against the assassin. He killed Sir Alynor and took his place," Merlynn explained. She glanced outside. "The people are waiting for their champion," she said with a grin.

Arthur sighed and looked at the others in the tent: Gwen, who was carefully avoiding his gaze; their fake William, who had a vague look in his eyes; and Merlynn, his maidservant and best friend, who Gwen said he was in love with. Merlynn was smiling softly. "It's time to reveal yourself."

Arthur thought back to the conversations he'd had with Gwen. She was right – she _had_ been acting like Merlynn to deal with his rude behaviour, and what she'd said had been what Merlynn had been saying all along. He'd gotten so used to Merlynn not caring about social positions that it had taken someone like Gwen to really get it through his thick skull.

"You must go and collect your trophy," he said to William.

"I thought this was going to be your moment of glory?" Gwen asked. Though her head was turned in his direction, she was not looking at the prince.

Merlynn just smiled wider. Her pride in him was enough of a reward, he realized.

"Perhaps this is a time for humility," he said, looking straight at Merlynn.

/*/

**Gwen POV**

Arthur stood before his father and told him that he didn't think Odin should be punished. Gwen looked over at Merlynn. The other maid was grinning at the prince. It made the guilt Gwen felt triple. She still couldn't believe she'd kissed Arthur, when she'd _known_ that Merlynn loved him – and, even worse, that he loved her too, but just didn't realize it yet. She just couldn't face Merlynn now, or Arthur. So when the latter stopped her after his audience with his father, she felt her cheeks burn. Why couldn't he just ignore what had happened?

"Guinevere," he said, but paused, as if he didn't know what to say next. "I… What happened yesterday…"

"Please, sire," Gwen started uncomfortably.

"No, please let me say this. When I… when that happened, I didn't feel anything. I don't know if I believe what you said about Merlynn, but… It was wrong of me to kiss you, I mistook my feelings of friendship towards you for something more. I apologise."

Gwen was shocked, to say the least. Not that she had expected him to profess his love for her, but the fact that he apologised said volumes about what he'd learned. _'Maybe something good will come from that horrible mistake,'_ she thought to herself. "I'm happy to hear that, sire."

Arthur nodded and turned to leave, but she stopped him. "You really should think about Merlynn, sire. I think you'll find happiness with her."

The prince didn't look convinced, but he nodded all the same. Gwen watched him go with a smile. She still might not feel like facing Merlynn any time soon, but at least she'd pushed Arthur in the right direction.

Merlynn would have her happily ever after, Gwen promised silently – she would make sure of it, one way or another.

**A/N: DON'T KILL ME! I know it's not the typical way this episode goes (actually, this is the only story that does this, I think), but I felt like it was needed, ya know? Plus, Arthur needed some convincing, and, let's face it, he's an idiot who's not exactly in touch with his feelings, right?**

**So suck it up and deal with it. Merlynn/Arthur will happen.**

**Next chapter will be next week (hopefully).**


	5. Lancelot and Guinevere part 1

**A/N: Here tis, and 'taint mine! (unfortunately).  
dedicated to my 'aunt' Jen, who's showed me around St Louis this past week!**

**Chapter 5: Lancelot and Guinevere – part 1**

Gwen was avoiding me. I knew she was. Even Arthur was acting funny around me; he was more polite than usual. When Morgana told me she was planning to visit her father's grave, I volunteered to go with her – anything to get away from Arthur for a while. But then, on the morning of our departure, Gwen claimed she wasn't feeling well, so Morgana and I set off alone.

We talked comfortably for a few hours – we hadn't had enough time to just talk lately, with all that had been going on – before lapsing into a semi-comfortable silence.

"What is it, Merlynn?" Morgana asked kindly.

"I'm fine," I lied. My thoughts were still on Gwen and Arthur.

"You're being quiet. Usually you're the life of the conversation… I'm beginning to think there's a man involved," she said with a grin.

I smiled back. "When do I get to meet any decent men? No, it's about Gwen."

"What about her?"

I paused, not sure how much to tell her friend. "She's been avoiding me, but I don't know why…"

Morgana thought for a few seconds, deliberating on her answer. "I wasn't aware. Maybe you should ask her? I could ask her to stay late one evening…?" she suggested.

I smiled widely at the lady. "Thank you, Morgana, but I think I can corner her myself without keeping her from her bed."

"You're welcome. How's Arthur?"

The question was innocent enough, but I guessed she suspected something. "Still a prat," I deflected. "You should hear the list of chores he has me do every day, and Gaius isn't helping. He's always wanting me to go collect herbs, or clean out and organize his potions cabinet. That's why I wanted to come; I needed to get away from all the work and enjoy some good company," I replied with a smile.

Morgana smiled indulgently, but the mischievous glint in her eyes told me it wasn't the answer she wanted. This was going to be a _long_ ride.

/*/

As it turned out, the ride was rather short. Only a few minutes after Morgana asked about Arthur, bandits attacked. They killed the guards and captured me and Morgana easily. I would've used my magic to help, but Morgana attached herself to me when we were both unhorsed.

The bandits wanted to exchange Morgana for ransom… I didn't want to think about what would happen to me. Morgana devised a plan to escape; I went along with it, but didn't hold too much hope. It was a good plan – counting on the boorishness of the bandits – but it also involved me stealing one of the guards' swords.

It would've worked perfectly, if I hadn't sprained my ankle and couldn't run anymore. I urged the lady to run, telling her I'd delay them as much as I could. Reluctantly, she agreed and ran, and that was the most important part. But as I turned to face the oncoming bandits, one of them hit me over the head, and the world went dark.

/*/

**Arthur POV**

Merlynn was gone. Merlynn was gone, and Arthur didn't know what to do.

That morning, when Morgana didn't return from her pilgrimage, he had set out to look for her. Gwen had insisted on coming along, worried about her two best friends. Then they'd found the slaughtered patrol… and a ransom note for Morgana.

Arthur led the way off the road, following the tracks. It wasn't long before he heard something. He motioned for everyone to freeze and take out their weapons.

But it was Morgana, wearing nothing but a thin shift, who came wandering out of the wilderness. She was clearly shaken, but, upon seeing Arthur, rushed over. "Where's Merlynn?" Arthur asked immediately. Morgana just shook her head.

And that's when Arthur realized his life as he knew it was on the edge of a knife.

/*/

**Merlynn POV**

I had a headache. A bad one, it was probably a concussion. And my current situation was not helping either.

The bandit leader, Kendrick, had made me wear Morgana's clothes, obviously hoping I could pass for the lady. Had the situation been less serious, I would've snorted. In Ealdor I had been considered 'pretty', not necessarily 'beautiful', but I paled in comparison to Morgana, who was widely considered to be exquisitely stunning.

"I guess you'll just kill me if I refuse?"

The bandit gave me a nasty smile. "You guessed right."

I hadn't worn a dress in months, and Morgana's finely made gown did make me feel a little more feminine. I had to admit I liked the feeling, which only added to the irony of the situation. Here I was, captured by bandits who would gladly kill me, and I was happy about wearing a dress.

We arrived at a bandit fortress in the late afternoon. People were fighting in the streets, and it was just filthy. I was glad I lived in Camelot.

Kendrick had called the local leader 'Hengist' – always a good thing to know who your enemy is.

Hengist was a slightly overweight, balding man with a short-trimmed beard. He wore pelts around his shoulders and was obviously in charge. Kendrick introduced me as 'the lady Morgana', and Hengist gave me a mock bow.

"You are as beautiful as they say, lady Morgana," he said, and I turned my head to avoid his horrible breath. So, maybe bandits who haven't seen a woman in months could mistake me for Morgana, but anyone else?

"I demand that you release me immediately!" I said with as much authority as I could muster. To my surprise, I managed it fairly well.

"Just as soon as Uther Pendragon pays the ransom," he replied calmly.

But Uther would never pay the money, because Morgana was already safely home. I kept my expression stony, but on the inside I was already planning to escape. My head was still throbbing from when Kendrick had hit me over the head, though, and concentrating was harder than it should've been.

"In the meantime," Hengist went on, "you will be my guest."

Frustrated with everything that was happening, I snapped at him. "Do not flatter yourself. I am not your guest, I am your prisoner!"

"As you wish," the bandit leader said, undeterred. "Take her to the dungeon."

'_Oh, fantastic!'_ I thought sarcastically. _'I just had to open my big mouth, didn't I?'_

/*/

I wasn't in the dungeon long enough to even think about a plan to escape. Before I knew it, I was led to a dining hall – if you could call it that – to attend a feast. The men were swines, and the only women present besides myself were whores.

"Quiet!" Hengist yelled as he got up. I sat to his right, and was utterly disgusted when he put a hand on my shoulder. "Our royal guest, the Lady Morgana, is bored!" The crowd cheered and booed in equal measure.

There was a cage in the back of the room, and as soon as Hengist gave the nod, the crowd gathered around the bars and cheered. A door in the far wall of the cage opened, allowing an armed man to step through. He called out to the crowd, and they shouted their approval.

"Bring in the challenger!" Hengist shouted, causing more yells from the gathered men.

The man who walked into the cage was the last person I would have expected to see in a place like this. What had Lancelot gotten himself into?

When the fight started on Hengist's mark, I wished desperately that I could use magic, but with this many people around, and my headache still going strong, there was nothing I could do. The other man was bigger and beefier than Lancelot, and I could tell that his strokes were heavy ones. The only comfort that I had was that Lancelot rivalled Arthur when it came to one-on-one sword fighting.

I winced when the brute's strokes forced Lancelot back against the cage bars. The crowd cheered for blood while I feared for my friend's life.

But then, in the blink of an eye, Lancelot had knocked the other man's sword out of his hands and knocked him down, the tip of his sword against the brute's neck.

Lancelot hesitated, and I felt for him. He hated taking a life in cold blood; he was too noble for that. He glanced up and caught my eye. I knew I was biting my lip, so I hurried to seem uninterested, in case Hengist looked over.

I couldn't help the sigh of relief that passed my lips as the former knight spared the other man.

"What is your name?" Hengist asked when Lancelot stood before us.

"My name is Lancelot."

"You have proven yourself to be a skilful warrior… I believe you may even have impressed our royal guest, Lady Morgana," Hengist said.

I kept my gaze blank as Lancelot's eyes flickered to mine. I could see the question in his eyes, though his face, too, was blank. "My Lady," he said with a bow.

Hengist then warned him that the next time he fought, he wouldn't be shown any mercy. "Release the wilderen."

A creature resembling a baby rat with huge tusks came out of yet another door in the cage. It was naked and seemed to be navigating by smell alone. It was horrifying. The man in the cage didn't live for much longer.

As I screwed my eyes shut and tried to block out the screams, I could actually feel the man die, feel his life's light go out. It felt… not wrong, per se, but unsettling to say the least.

'_Why does all my power revolve around death?'_ I asked myself.

/*/

Lancelot came to visit me in my cell later that night. "Merlynn?" his voice came from a grate above what passed as my bed.

"Lancelot!" I sighed in relief.

"What are you doing here? Why does Hengist think you're Lady Morgana?" he asked curiously.

Absently, I noticed that he now had a scar on his cheek and thought it added to his charm. I wondered what Gwen would think. She'd be over the moon when she heard about this.

"Merlynn?" Lance asked, and I realized I hadn't answered his question. "Are you all right?" he asked, studying my face.

"What? Oh, I'm fine, I just have a terrible headache. Hengist thinks he's holding Morgana for ransom. When no ransom is paid, he'll realize I'm not her, and feed me to those beasts."

"Can't you escape, use your magic?" he asked, frowning. And that was the problem.

"No. I tried, but it didn't do anything except give me an even bigger headache. I was knocked over the head, and I think it messed up my magic somehow. I can tell it's improving, but I haven't been able to do anything yet."

"I won't let anything happen to you, Merlynn. I promise," he replied, his dark eyes intense. He really was a good friend.

I smiled briefly. "But are you doing here? are you one of Hengist's men?" I asked.

"No. After Camelot, the only way I could earn a living was the only way I knew how: with a sword in my hand." He seemed so dejected.

"I think you can find better company than this. They're a little unhygienic, aren't they?" I joked, trying to cheer him up.

He smiled sadly. "It seems it is my destiny to entertain men like Hengist."

"If that's your destiny, I'm a troll. There's hope for you yet, Lance."

He smiled genuinely now. "How's Guinevere?" he asked.

I grinned. "Still single, and not interested in any man whose name doesn't rhyme with Wancelot."

He rolled his eyes at my choice of words. "Has she thought of me at all?"

"She doesn't really talk about you, but I can tell she misses you. We all thought we'd never see you again."

Then we heard someone coming, and Lancelot had to leave. He did promise he'd help me find a way out of here, though. Like I said, he's a true friend.

/*/

**Arthur POV**

As he sat alone by the fire that evening, the prince thought about how much he wished Merlynn was by his side. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd gone out by himself, though he'd done it often before the clumsy girl became his servant. He missed her.

He loved her.

He'd come to that conclusion the moment Morgana had told him she'd been taken, and was still amazed by the fact. Arthur, Crown Prince of Camelot, was in love with his clumsy, strange, wise, wonderful servant, Merlynn. And he couldn't help but grin as he thought about her.

He _missed_ her. Right now, she would be trying to make him laugh, so he wouldn't be this quiet anymore. Or she'd be talking up a storm about anything and everything.

Arthur got up and put out his fire. There was no way he'd get any sleep that night without the sound of her comfortable breathing close by, so he saddled his horse and got ready. He would ride through the night: he couldn't leave her there any longer.

Now that he finally realized how he felt, he wasn't going to lose her without telling her!

/*/

**Merlynn POV**

The next morning, Hengist came to visit me in my cell to inform me that Uther had not responded to his demand for ransom. He warned me that if the king hadn't responded by dawn the next day… He left cackling.

I felt hopeless. My magic had not returned with morning, though I was feeling a little better. I wasn't used to not using magic for so long, and it was almost a physical ache.

Luckily, Lancelot distracted me from my bitter thoughts later that morning, coming to see how I was doing.

"Hengist is growing suspicious because Uther hasn't sent word," I said. "If we're ever going to get out of here, it has to be soon."

"How's your magic?" he asked, frowning in concern.

"A little better, but not nearly enough to escape from a fortress like this one."

He nodded, almost to himself. "You must keep up the pretence. I will not allow you to die here," he said firmly.

"What are you going to do?" I asked suspiciously. There was something in his voice…

"I have little to live for," he admitted.

"Don't say that!" I said, taken aback by my friend's hopelessness.

"For all my words, for all that I believed, I have come to nothing…"

"What am I supposed to tell Gwen?" I demanded. "She'd be heartbroken if I came back to tell her you'd died. And you really have no faith in me, do you?"

"What?" Lancelot asked, clearly confused.

"You should know by now that when I'm around, things don't turn out the way you expect," I said, a little haughtily.

Lancelot grinned. "You're certainly unpredictable. Be ready: I'll come for you before nightfall."

I grinned. "There's not really much else for me to do here but wait, you know."

He shot me another grin, and vanished.

**A/N: Review!**

**You'll love the next chapter!**


	6. Lancelot and Guinevere part 2

**A/N: I'm sorry it took longer than usual, there was a little mix up with the docx outbox with my beta... Anywhoo, I know everyone has been waiting for this, so enjoy! **

**Dedicated to my friend Sabrina!  
**

**Chapter 6: Lancelot and Guinevere – part 2**

Once noon was past, I was roughly dragged from the dungeon and brought before Hengist. He stood on the other end of the cage, facing away from me.

"Morgana," he said, and it took me a second to realize he was talking to me. He turned and took a step towards me. "I keep asking myself… Why does Uther not pay the ransom?" he asked as he advanced on me. "He's a rich man. Why would he leave his beloved ward to suffer a slow and terrible death?"

"I don't know," I answered as calmly as I could, desperately trying to call my magic to the surface. It only served to give me a worse headache. I tried to step away from him, but the bars were in the way.

Hengist grabbed my hand, though I think he had been reaching for my arm or shoulder. "It must be very upsetting to know that Uther has abandoned you," he said, leaning in far too close for comfort. "It seems that no one in the world cares for you."

"I don't know why he doesn't pay. Please, I don't know!" I had never felt so helpless before. I had always had my magic to protect myself, or Arthur right beside me, but now I was all alone.

"Take her back to her cell!" Hengist ordered, and I was dragged off roughly again.

/*/

That night, Lancelot was true to his word and freed me from my prison. We ran as fast as we could through the hallways, but were discovered and recaptured soon enough. Lancelot tried to get me to leave him behind.

"If you think I'm going to let you sacrifice yourself for me, you don't know me at all, Lancelot!" I hissed, pulling him along with me. "You wouldn't be buying me any time, there's too many of them!"

Lance stopped walking, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Merlynn, I need you to be safe and get back to Arthur… and to Gwen. You're my friend, and currently defenceless. Let me help, I can keep them off."

"Lancelot, don't you get it? I can't leave you behind! First of all, Gwen would never forgive me, I wouldn't forgive me, and I might need you later!"

And that was the end of that conversation. But eventually, there were too many of them, and they overtook us, knocking us out.

/*/

I woke up first, back in the cage, my hands bound to Lancelot's behind my back. Hengist's men were jeering and shouting at us, calling for blood, but I ignored them. "Fancy meeting you here," I said sarcastically when I felt the former knight stirring.

"Merlynn," he acknowledged. "Why do I have the feeling things like this happen a lot around you?"

I grinned, though he couldn't see it. "Because I'm Arthur's servant; it's part of the job description."

"Prince Arthur's servant, are you?" Hengist said, walking in. I raised my chin defiantly, but on the inside I cursed. I wasn't sure what it would mean that I was Arthur's maid, but I didn't want to find out. "I wonder what he needs a pretty girl like you for?" the bandit leader asked with a nasty twist to his smirk. There was no mistaking the meaning behind his words.

I felt myself blush deeply, but Lancelot squeezed my hands gently, reminding me of his support.

Hengist gestured for silence. "A maid pretending to be a Lady… You're not worth anything to me, so what should I do? What do you say," he asked, addressing the crowd. "Shall I spare them?" They called for our deaths.

"Merlynn, how's your head?" Lancelot whispered, unheard by Hengist because of the jeering crowd.

"Better. Give it another minute and they'll wish they had never been born," I replied darkly.

"Good. But just in case I do die, tell Gwen… tell her–"

"You can tell her yourself when we get out of here, Lance." I interrupted. "Besides, if you die, what do you think the chance is that I'll get out?"

They released the wilderen, and my attention was diverted. It was even more disgusting up close. It was about the size of a pony, but looked more like a newly born rat: pink, naked, and blind. And it _smelled_!

My magic surged to just below the surface, and I was about to disintegrate the filthy creature… when suddenly Arthur jumped into the cage. How had he gotten here? He cut the ropes binding me and Lancelot, and turned to face the beast.

Tossing Lancelot a sword and pushing me behind him, he slashed at it. "What are you doing here, Lancelot?" Arthur asked. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed his voice.

"Rescuing Merlynn. You?"

"The same."

"Yes, yes, it's great seeing each other again – now would you kill that thing?!" I yelled urgently. The two men didn't say a word, but returned to the task at hand. My eyes roved over the crowd in search of– There he was! Hengist had grabbed a crossbow from one of his men and was now aiming it at Arthur. Looking around frantically, I noticed the chandelier right above his head, and made it fall with a glance.

Unfortunately, when the chain holding it up snapped, it made a lot of noise, which gave Hengist the time to jump out of the way. I cursed under my breath.

The bandit leader roared at his men to kill us and made for the cage door.

"The tunnel, that's our only chance!" Arthur said. "Merlynn, you first!"

I ran for the tunnel, but waited just inside. There was no way I was going without making sure Arthur was alright.

My two 'saviours' ran past me, though Arthur sent me an annoyed look. Hengist was distracted by the wilderen, and not actively pursuing us anymore. I had an idea.

A look at Lancelot, and he pushed Arthur down the tunnel, despite the prince's protests. I sent a burst of magic to the rope holding the tunnel's entrance open, making it break. Hengist was now trapped between the beast and the bars of the cage he'd so often used. I sent a cold look at his terrified face, then turned to follow Lancelot. I had no desire to see the bandit's – no doubt bloody – end.

I caught up with them at the end of the passageway, where Arthur was already working on forcing open the lock. "Good to see you, Arthur. Where are your knights?"

"It's just me," Arthur said, a tad uncertainly, as he finally managed to break the chain. I rushed outside and stood in the moonlight for a moment, revelling in the rush of freedom I felt.

"We need to get out of here soon. Hengist's men won't let us go easily," Lancelot reasoned, starting towards the nearby forest.

I turned and stared at the prince. He'd come for me. Arthur took a step closer, I think to embrace me, but when I stepped into his arms, all resolve left me, and I let my lips find his. No unconsciousness for me to hide behind this time, no enchantment, no excuses… just him and me.

I thought he'd just freeze and then act all awkward and nervous, but instead he instantly responded, tightening his arms around me, as I wound my hands in his hair. It was the most marvellous feeling in the world. It excited me and terrified me at the same time.

A cough behind me made us jump apart. Lancelot raised an eyebrow at me, and I knew I was blushing deeply. "Right…" Arthur said, sounding decidedly uncomfortable, and started to walk off. "The horses are this way."

/*/

**Lancelot POV**

At the camp that night, Merlynn slept while Arthur and Lancelot kept watch. Lancelot glanced from Merlynn to the prince, who was staring at her. "So… This is new," he said, boldly broaching a subject he _knew_ the other man wouldn't want to talk about.

"Newer than you think," Arthur whispered, barely audible. Lancelot decided to let that one go and stared into the fire for a while.

"You must really love her to defy your father and come to her rescue," he said, pressing on. Arthur looked up, frowning. "You came alone, so I assume your father didn't condone risking the lives of knights to save a servant."

The prince stared angrily into the fire. "It doesn't matter. Nothing can ever happen between us."

"Why not?" Lancelot asked, frowning. It was obvious the two loved each other.

"Because my father would never allow it."

"When you're King, you can change that," Lancelot answered quietly.

Arthur didn't reply, going to the edge of the camp instead. "I'll take first watch. Get some sleep." And that was the end of _that_ conversation.

/*/

**Merlynn POV**

As we neared Camelot's borders, Lancelot seemed more and more withdrawn. "Lancelot, what's wrong?" I asked finally, reigning in my horse. Arthur had brought only two, thinking I'd be the only one he'd have to save. Since he was riding one horse, and I the other, Lancelot was forced to walk the whole way.

Arthur stopped too, a few yards away to give us some privacy.

"I am still banished from Camelot," Lancelot replied, his eyes on the hill behind which Camelot lay.

"That's rubbish. It's not like Uther would remember you," I said dismissively.

"He might. And… I don't want to face Gwen yet. I need to find myself again, become the man Gwen deserves."

"She loves you," I implored, hoping to convince him. "She won't care about what you've done." I had missed my friend, especially because there were precious few who knew my secret.

Lancelot shook his head. "No, I need to change first. Tell Gwen… tell her she's changed me forever, and that I _will_ be back, I swear."

My eyes teared up as I dismounted and gave the former knight a hug. "You had better, or you'll have to deal with me!"

Lance chuckled as he released me. "Have a safe journey, Merlynn. And look after that prince of yours – something tells me he'll need you."

I laughed. "They'd need a pickaxe to get through his thick skull."

The former knight gave me a fond smile, before turning to the still-mounted prince. "Farewell, Arthur," he called. "I hope we'll meet under better circumstances next time. Think on what I said."

Arthur raised a hand, but didn't reply.

As Lancelot walked off, Arthur and I turned our horses back towards Camelot and resumed our journey. I glanced at Arthur. I had heard the entire conversation between him and Lancelot the previous night, and knew that Arthur was right: as long as his father was still king, nothing could ever happen between us. On the other hand, it was going to be very hard to go back to the way it was before…

/*/

When we finally arrived at Camelot, Gwen and Morgana were overjoyed to see me. In Morgana's chambers, I told them the whole story, leaving out my magic, but relaying Lancelot's message to Gwen. The maid was understandably upset, and left me and Morgana soon after.

"Poor girl… pining over a man who doesn't even come back for her," Morgana said, still looking at the door.

"He has good reasons, though, and he swore he'd come back. Lancelot would never break a promise, least of all to Gwen."

The lady smiled at me. "You know him better than I do. I hope you're right."

I smiled and went to sit behind Morgana, braiding her hair so it would be wavy when she woke up. "How are you doing?" I asked, concerned.

She chuckled softly. "Oh, Merlynn, I should be the one asking you. It must've been hard…"

I nodded, though she couldn't see it. "I'm fine, Morgana, it's not like they mistreated me. Except for Hengist's breath, now _that_ was torture," I joked.

Morgana laughed. "I wish I could be more like you, Merlynn. You're always looking on the brighter side of things, and you don't let anything keep you down."

I didn't answer, but frowned. _Morgana_ wanted to be like _me_? That would be like Arthur wanting to be like George, one of the other servants. "I don't know why, but thank you," I eventually replied, a little unsure.

The Lady turned around, pulling her hair from my hands. "I'm not the only one who sees it, Merlynn. Gwen does, and Gaius as well… and Arthur," she added with a sly grin.

I instantly turned red, having been reminded of our kiss. I tried to laugh it off. "A-Arthur? No, h-he doesn't think I'm worth anything!"

Morgana rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Merlynn." It was obvious she wasn't convinced, though. I didn't want to admit my feelings to her as I'd done to Gwen – though Gwen was never going to learn of that kiss, either, or she'd never let me live it down. I just ignored the whole conversation so far and turned Morgana back around. She needed to look beautiful in the morning: Uther was hosting all the monarchs of the five kingdoms to sign a peace treaty. At least it would provide some distraction from Morgana's suspicions and Arthur's… well… Arthur. But mainly Arthur's lips…

Oh, bloody hell. It was going to be a _long_ few days…

**A/N: FINALLY! You asked, I postponed, but eventually, IT'S HERE!**

**Please tell me your thoughts, ideas, random favourite quotes... ^^**


	7. Sweet Dreams part 1

**A/N: Not gonna bore you!  
but 't aint mine! And dedicated to Van, my hostdad, because he was as excited by me when he saw the TARDIS cookie jar he got for father's day. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY everyone! Give your daddy a hug today!**

**Chapter 7: Sweet Dreams – part 1**

On the morning that the Kings of all the five kingdoms arrived, everyone was swamped. Well, the servants were, anyway; the nobles only had to be dressed nicely – by their servants – and put on their best behaviour. Arthur was no exception.

It was awkward, to say the least, to help Arthur dress and generally to be near him after that kiss. Every time I thought of it, a silly smile would find its way onto my face, though it was bittersweet. We might have kissed, and that might have proved that Arthur felt some affection towards me, but the fact remained that I was a servant, and he a prince. We could never be together.

I accompanied the prince and his father as they greeted Kings Alined and Olaf. The latter had brought his daughter, the Lady Vivian, and she was absolutely beautiful. Morgana may have been a dark beauty, but Vivian was bright like the sun. Unfortunately, her personality didn't match her appearance. She was the most arrogant, annoying person I had ever met. She was worse than Arthur when I'd first met him!

As Arthur was showing her to her room, I stood behind him, trying my best not to laugh. Gwen walked in, a little late. "May I present Guinevere – she'll be looking after you for the duration of your stay. You'll want for nothing. She is truly one of Camelot's finest."

Vivian looked Gwen up and down. She giggled. "Then I fear for Camelot."

Arthur and I stepped out, leaving Gwen with the annoying noblewoman. As I closed the door, Arthur leaned against the door, shooting me a disbelieving look. I finally let my laughter out, and he quickly joined me. It was just so ridiculous!

The prince soon grew more serious and stared at me. I blushed. He raised his hand, as if to touch my shoulder or cheek, but eventually dropped it. I tried not to feel too disappointed.

"I need to prepare for the feast," he said lamely, but didn't move.

"Right. I need to get your jacket from the laundry…"

We each went our own way, hoping the other would forget the awkwardness of the situation soon.

/*/

The feast was enjoyable, for once, as King Alined's servant, Trickler, played the fool and did tricks. As I watched him 'conjure' butterflies, I couldn't help but think that it must be real magic. I wouldn't detect something so small, so I couldn't be sure, but still…

Later that night, when the minstrels had taken the fool's place in entertaining the crowd, I still stood behind Arthur. He motioned for me to refill his cup.

As I did so, I brushed his hand and caught his eye. I blushed again, and I could've sworn I saw the prince's cheeks darken.

From across the room, both Gwen and Morgana smirked at me. I ignored them.

/*/

"Please, Merlynn? I don't think I can stand her for another minute!" Gwen pleaded. She had cornered me after the feast, begging me to take care of Vivian in the morning.

"And you think I'm going to be able to keep my mouth shut?" I asked, incredulously.

"All she does is insult you, and Arthur does that to you all the time, doesn't he? I begging, Merlynn, just for tomorrow."

I sighed. "Fine, but you have to get Arthur ready in the morning. You'll need to shake him to wake him up, and he'll be rude. He's had too many goblets of wine. And make sure he wears the clothes I lay out for him."

Gwen hugged me tight. "Thank you, Merlynn! I owe you!"

"Yes, you do!" I laughed, then turned down the hallway to Arthur's chambers as Gwen returned to Morgana's.

When I turned in to the hallway outside Arthur's chambers, I was met with a surprising sight. King Olaf stood there, looking a little lost. He caught sight of me and came over. "My lady, could you assist me, please?" he asked politely. I almost dropped my jaw. This was the man who had raised Lady Vivian?

"I'm no lady, sire, I'm just a servant," I corrected, curtsying neatly.

He smiled. "All the same, I seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere. Could you lead me to my chambers?"

"Of course, sire. Follow me," I replied readily, still a little surprised at his good manners. "You're in the wrong wing of the castle. The nobles' wing is in the east wing."

He nodded, still smiling. "Are you sure you're not a lady?" he asked playfully. Who would have thought that one of Uther's closest friends, and the father of a woman like Vivian, would be so kind?

"Positive, my lord. I was born in Ealdor, a small farming village in Cenred's kingdom. I'm only Arthur's servant," I explained.

"Ealdor? That sounds familiar… You remind me of an old friend of mine…" he remarked absently. "You wouldn't know a fellow called Balinor, would you?"

I frowned. "No, my lord, I've never heard of him. Who is he?"

Olaf waved a hand, as if to dispel a thought. "Oh, no one, just an old friend."

We walked in companionable silence for a little while longer, until we reached the King's quarters. "Here we are. Thank you, my dear, for helping an old man."

"You're welcome, sire. And I do not think you are that old," I replied easily. It was surprisingly comfortable to talk to him, even though he was a king.

"You flatter me. But ah, Merlynn? Could you not mention this to the other Kings? We wouldn't want them to think I'm getting senile…"

I grinned. "My lips are sealed. Good night, sire."

/*/

When I woke the Lady Vivian the next morning, she was sitting primly on the edge of her bed. "Where have you been? I've been waiting," she said irritably. I marvelled again at the differences between father and daughter.

"I'm sorry, my lady, I was picking up your breakfast," I said, putting the tray on her table. I helped her get dressed and suffered through insult after insult, to myself, to Camelot, to its people and the castle staff, even to Uther!

"Who are you anyways – where's that girl from yesterday?"

"Guinevere wasn't feeling well, and she didn't want to get you sick, my lady. She asked me to take over for her."

Vivian grimaced at the thought. "You're not very pretty, are you," she commented eventually.

I had to swallow an angry retort. "If you say so, my lady."

"I don't know why Morgana keeps you around."

"I'm not Lady Morgana's maid, I'm Arthur's," I said, as calmly as I possibly could.

Again, Vivian looked almost disgusted. "Arthur has a maid? Whatever for?"

I took a deep breath. _'Do not shout at the rich, powerful person in front of you. She can have you fired and probably even beheaded…'_ I thought to myself, before answering. "The King awarded me the position when I–" I started, but was soon interrupted.

"I don't care. Prepare my horse! I want to go for a ride!" she commanded imperiously. I was seriously beginning to dislike this girl.

/*/

After the lady returned from her ride – which didn't put her in a better mood, as I'd hoped – I walked with her as she kept complaining about _everything_. I had probably ruined my teeth from all the jaw-clenching I'd been doing all day. I walked her to her room, and left her there to take a break in my own.

When I got there, a bouquet of purple and pink flowers lay on my bed, accompanied by a note, reading:

_The barriers that keep us apart are nothing compared to the power of true love.  
Arthur_

I smiled softly – so he did care. As I picked up the bouquet to smell it, Gwen burst into my room.

"Gwen!" I said, smiling. If there was anyone I could share this with, it would be her. "Look what Arthur gave me. And to think I'd almost given up hope…"

Gwen didn't respond, but shot me a smile that was only a little forced. I didn't question her; if she had something to tell me, she would.

"They weren't meant for you," Gwen burst out. She looked so sorry, I almost believed her.

"How can they not be? They were on my bed."

Gwen sat down, looking dejected. "Arthur asked me to deliver them to his 'true love', and I assumed he meant you… and then I found out he wanted me to send them to the Lady Vivian."

My face fell as my heart broke. "Lady Vivian?"

"I'm so sorry, Merlynn, I don't know what happened…" Gwen said.

I sank onto my bed. Arthur loved Vivian? Since when? Why…?

"Merlynn?" Gaius's voice brought me back to the present. "Have you seen my–" He trailed off when he saw me and Gwen, both looking rather less than happy. "What happened?"

Gwen explained as I nursed my broken heart. Something was niggling at the back of my mind, but I pushed it away. I didn't want to deal with it; I didn't want to deal with anything right now.

"He said it was his job to woo his lady by the end of the day," Gwen said, wringing her hands anxiously.

"Merlynn, you must stop him!" Gaius warned.

I looked up. "Why? If he loves her so bloody much, why shouldn't he go to her?" I snapped angrily.

Gaius merely raised an eyebrow. "Because it could cause the peace talks to fail, and might bring war onto Camelot," he replied calmly.

I sighed, pushed my hurt feelings aside, and got up. I had a prince to stop.

/*/

I found Arthur outside Vivian's room, practically begging her to let him in. "My lord, I don't think your advances are welcomed," I said stiffly, still blinking my eyes frequently to fight tears.

"Go away! And take your chicken with you!" Vivian shouted from inside the room.

"Don't know what gives you that impression," Arthur muttered and shoved the platter of chicken he'd been holding into my arms as he passed.

I followed him to his room to make sure he wouldn't go back, and then brought the platter back to the kitchen while the prince got ready for bed. I was furious, and so, _so_ hurt at the same time. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to deal with Arthur anymore.

When I got back to Arthur's chambers, he was sitting up in bed, looking decidedly dejected. "Go on, Merlynn… say it," he said.

I handed him a goblet of wine. "Say what?"

"You do not think I should pursue my love," he said glumly.

I clenched my teeth and willed myself not to cry. Why must he call her his 'love'? Two days ago he'd kissed me, and it wasn't like anyone had forced him then. Had he already forgotten about me? "Now that you mention it, I can think of a number of things standing in the way of a happy union between you and the Lady Vivian. Her bloodthirsty father, for one," I said, hoping he hadn't heard the venom in my voice. I didn't really think Olaf was all that bad, but I had a point to get across.

"Her complete lack of interest, for another," the prince added miserably, taking a sip from his cup. _'Thank the gods for that. I don't think I could handle seeing them _together_,'_ I thought.

I felt brave, however. Maybe Lady Vivian's rejection was enough to… I didn't even want to finish the thought.

"Arthur? Maybe… maybe it would be better to think about… about your old love?" I asked hesitantly. I really hoped I wouldn't make a complete fool of myself.

"What are you talking about, Merlynn? I don't have an old love," Arthur replied. He rolled over, trying to get comfortable. I frowned. He couldn't have _literally_ forgotten about me, could he?

I turned around to leave, but Arthur's voice stopped me. "What on earth…?" The prince rolled back over, holding a lock of blonde hair between his fingers. "You really need to start paying attention to the details."

I took it from him, frowning. That was not Arthur's hair – it was too light and too well kept. I paled as I realized the only other person in the castle it could belong to: Lady Vivian.

/*/

"I knew something wasn't right," I told Gaius gleefully. It wasn't his fault! Arthur was just under a spell – he hadn't forgotten about me!

My uncle was studying the lock of hair with a magnifying glass, hoping to find a clue as to who was behind the whole scheme. "Arthur's enchanted," he said, voicing my suspicions.

An idea popped into my head then. "I should've realized… He has magic!" I whispered, almost to myself. I looked Gaius in the eye. "No one can make butterflies appear from thin air."

"Trickler." Gaius was following my thought process.

"Why would he want Arthur to fall in love with Vivian?" I asked curiously. Trickler, Alined's servant, hadn't seemed like he wanted to bring down Camelot when he performed at the feast.

Gaius looked back at the lock thoughtfully. "An advance from Arthur would be a surefire way to ruin the peace conference… Maybe Alined wants war."

"Without creating it himself," I added, catching on.

"That is the sort of cowardly behaviour you would expect from him," Gaius said. "Cowardly, but clever."

"We need to find a way to turn Arthur back to normal."

"Before it's too late," Gaius said ominously.

**A/N: I know, I know, you want me to get on with it. But no worries, THE moment is drawing near now!**

**Review!**


	8. Sweet Dreams part 2

**A/N: I know, I know, it's been a while. Just moved back to Europe from Arkansas, and it was kind of heartbreaking having to say goodbye to everyone. But I'm back! (btw, isn't it funny that more people from Nicaragua looked at this story this past month, than people from my own country; Belgium?)**

**I hope you like this chapter, because I'm having some difficulty with The Nightmare begins. My brain doesn't seem to want to stick with one idea. Suggestions are always welcome!**

**Dedicated to Karen, 'cause she's absolutely crazy, and I love her.**

**Chapter 8: Sweet Dreams – part 2**

By morning, I was getting desperate. I had researched lovespells all night, and had eventually fallen asleep on my books a few hours before dawn.

"There are 636 lovespells in these books, and over 150 of them involve a lock of hair," I told Gaius when he woke me up.

"Is there no way we can narrow it down a bit?" he asked, reaching for a book himself.

"I have," I said, maybe a little indignantly. What did he think I'd been doing all night? Doodling? "Look: if I choose this one and it's wrong," I said, pointing to one of the spells in the book in front of me, "Arthur will end up as a toad. And if this one's wrong, Vivian will lose all her hair."

"Olaf might not declare war for that, but she certainly would," Gaius joked. It would have been more funny if the situation weren't so serious.

/*/

Unfortunately, I still had my duties to attend to, so while Arthur was who-knew-where, I was stuck cleaning up his chambers. I was almost finished when someone knocked at the door.

Vivian stood outside, dressed in nothing but a night shift – albeit a very nice, expensive one. "I wish to see Arthur, your master, my lord," she said dreamily and stepped right by me.

"Your what?" I asked incredulously, closing the door behind her.

Vivian flittered into the room – there really wasn't any other word for it. "My heart's delight! Where is he?"

"He's not here, which is a very good thing, I believe," I said, stepping in her way. I had to work very hard not to strangle her – I was very pleased with myself when all I did was glare.

"Than I shall wait," she declared, stepping around me. Did nothing deter this girl?

"I don't think that's a good idea. You're not even dressed!"

Vivian turned to look at me. "My love does not care what I wear, only that I am near… Now fetch him!" she ordered. Gone was the lovey-dovey, dreamy tone of voice.

"I cannot," I said, crossing my arms.

"You will!" she commanded.

"Shan't," I refused.

"As he commands you, I command you!" she insisted. How could anybody even stand to be near her?

"I am not his _property_, and I certainly don't have to listen to a–" I stopped myself before I said something I'd regret. Taking a deep breath, I told myself to calm down. She was under a spell, she couldn't help it. "I'm asking you to leave."

"I want my love, I need my love, I want to see him now," she said, walking over to Arthur's bed. She crawled onto it and buried her head in his pillows and blankets.

It took everything I had not to kill her where she lay. My hands and jaw were clenched so tight, it hurt. _'Don't kill her, don't kill her,'_ became a mantra in my head. I'd never thought I could be this jealous.

I was interrupted from my rather violent train of thought by a loud shout. "What was that?" I asked no one in particular, and ran to the door to check. Arthur was walking back to his room from one hallway, and Olaf was storming to it from the other. "Oh, no."

Not in the mood to deal with Vivian's spell-induced, Arthur-centred talk, I quickly whispered a spell to make her fall asleep before she could ask what was going on. Another spell helped me stuff her in the wardrobe.

Olaf was in a rage – so different from how I had seen him the previous day that it startled me. Fortunately, he couldn't find any proof that his daughter was, in fact, in Arthur's room, so he apologised.

"I am so terribly sorry, Arthur, to have disturbed you. I do hope that you will forgive me."

Arthur nodded in reply.

"Merlynn, it's lovely to see you again. I'm sorry for my behaviour," he apologised. I was once again startled. What noble would ever apologise to a mere servant?

"That's all right, my lord. I'm sure that if I had a daughter like yours, my reaction would be quite the same," I lied.

He smiled, took my hand, and kissed it. I blushed. "I bid you good day then, Arthur, Merlynn," the king said, and left the room.

I stole a quick glance at Arthur, and for a moment, I thought I saw something in his eyes – something familiar. But then it was gone just as quickly. He walked behind his dressing screen. "If only the Lady Vivian were in my room. How delightful that would be…"

I barely stood still long enough to hear him draw breath. As soon as the prince was out of sight, I floated Lady Vivian out of the wardrobe and smuggled her back to her room through the servant passages.

/*/

The next time it happened, I was too late. For some insane reason, Arthur had decided to go visit Vivian that night, and had climbed to her room, only to be discovered. I was the first to arrive, and was met by the sight of the two of them kissing passionately. My spells did nothing.

I was quickly followed in by Olaf, Uther, and Alined. I slunk into the shadows, unwilling to let any of them see me, or the tears that had already started to fall.

Olaf was enraged and challenged Arthur to a duel to the death. He accepted, and just had to make it worse by kissing Vivian in front of the three kings.

/*/

Nothing would deter either Arthur or Olaf. Uther tried to reason with both, but neither would listen. I was helpless.

There was no way Trickler's magic was stronger than mine – the man was barely a hedgewizard – but Gaius said that love potions were fickle things. I had to un-enchant Arthur, fast.

I was so desperate that I went to see Olaf before the tournament started, leaving Gwen to help Arthur get ready.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the king's door. "Enter!" he called from within.

"My lord, I wondered if I could speak to you?" I asked, glancing at Olaf's personal servant. The king nodded at the man, who left silently. Olaf was putting on his vambraces, so I stepped forward to complete the task.

"What can I do for you, my dear?" he asked kindly. This Olaf was nothing like the screaming and raving Olaf from the previous night.

"Don't fight Arthur," I implored quietly. This was a very desperate move, I knew, but I had to do something. I couldn't just let Arthur die.

Olaf looked at me curiously. "What's it to you?"

"I don't want to see him hurt," I replied honestly, keeping my eyes on my task.

I could feel the king studying me, but I ignored it. "You really _do_ remind me of someone…" he whispered, almost too quietly for me to hear. I ignored that, too. "I can't withdraw, my girl. He was with my daughter, and has violated her honour. He has to pay the price," he said at a normal volume.

I winced at his reason – it was the reason I still felt like crying – but I didn't let anything slip; or, at least, I thought I hadn't. The King's hand on mine stilled my actions. I looked up.

"You love him." It wasn't a question, but a statement. I avoided the man's gaze, and probably gave him his answer with that action. "I'm sorry, my girl, but I can't withdraw. The only thing about this whole ordeal I apologize for is the hurt it is causing you…" he said kindly. "If he's with someone else, he does not deserve your love."

My eyes watered, but I looked up, straight into the King's face. "But he has it anyway. And I will do anything I can to protect him," I said, finished tying up the vambraces, and slipped out of the room.

As Merlynn left the room, she didn't notice the admiring look in the king's eyes. Yes, she did remind him of someone, and he suspected that there was a reason…

/*/

During the first part of the duel – the quarterstaffs – Arthur kept getting distracted by Vivian. His head wasn't clear, and that caused him to fight much worse than he usually did.

Olaf broke one of Arthur's ribs in the fight, but didn't have a scratch himself. I feared for Arthur's life.

Gaius told me to go find someone who would know what to do. I really didn't want to do that, but I knew I had to. For Arthur.

The Dragon – as expected – laughed at me, or rather at Arthur. "From what you have told me, the spell has captured his heart."

"And his heart is controlling his brain!" I said, once again feeling the hurt sear through my chest.

"There is no magic that can break this enchantment," he replied.

"There has to be."

"It has too great a hold," the Dragon insisted.

"I cannot, and I will not, let Arthur die!" I shouted, anger rising in me. I wasn't going to give up now, not without telling him…

"Patience, young sorceress. The solution lies in a force greater than you or I can understand, a force that had puzzled many minds."

I hated his riddles, I really did. "Please, I have very little time," I pressed. "Just tell me!"

"Why, it is the greatest force of all: love. You must find the person Arthur truly loves," he explained, giving me a look. "But something tells me you won't have far to look."

"You can't mean me? Arthur doesn't – he doesn't…"

"Doesn't he?" the Dragon asked rhetorically. I stared into those golden eyes for a moment longer before running off. It was worth a try.

/*/

By the time I got back to the arena, the second fight was over, and Arthur had sustained more injuries. I took a deep breath, hoped I wasn't wrong about this, and walked into the prince's tent.

"Ah, Merlynn, finally come to wish me good luck? Because I really don't think I need it anymore," Arthur said confidently. He really thought hr could win, even though it was clear to anyone else that he was well on his way to losing.

"No, Arthur, I have not come to wish you luck," I said, willing my heartbeat to slow down.

"Well, that's rather rude."

"Then let me make amends," I said, and rushed forward. I kissed Arthur, pushing him against the central pole of the tent, and poured everything I felt for the prat into that kiss. At first, the prince froze, but after a moment, her responded enthusiastically, winding his arms around my waist while mine went around his neck. It was a simple kiss, but it held so much depth, it took my breath away.

Far too soon, we broke apart, and I searched his face for any sign that the enchantment was gone. He just stared at me blankly for a second before grimacing in pain and holding his ribs. "What am I doing?" he asked, gasping.

I supported him as best I could. "You're in a fight, to the death… You're losing."

"But–"

"There's no time to explain," I said, putting a hand on his cheek. "Just… Live for me, Arthur, that's all I ask right now." I was tempted to lean back in, but we were interrupted by the trumpets signalling the third fight.

I helped Arthur into his armour in silence, worry etched deeply into me. Arthur had three broken ribs and was severely bruised on his shoulder and shield arm; he shouldn't be walking, let alone fighting.

"Merlynn," he said as we stood at the edge of the arena, "If anything should happen to me, take care of yourself. The world may think you're just a servant, dispensable, but… you're not dispensable to me." His hand caressed mine as I handed him his helmet.

Arthur was about to step into the arena when a thought occurred to me. "Arthur. Don't kill him."

The prince frowned at me, but nodded.

In the end, Arthur still won, though Olaf was a formidable opponent. The foreign king got his recompense, and the peace was kept. Arthur spared the other man's life, for which I was grateful. The king might've been far too protective of his daughter, but he was a kind man, and I didn't want him to die.

/*/

That night, when I got back to my room, a single red rose lay on my bed, atop a note. It was from Arthur.

"I thought I'd better deliver it myself this time," he said from behind me. He had been standing beside the door, so I hadn't noticed him.

I fiddled with the rose nervously. I _knew_ that something was about to change, that I had a choice to make here, but I didn't know what it was. It unnerved me.

"I'm sorry… for what I put you through," Arthur said haltingly. He wasn't used to apologizing, and I was touched that he was doing it to me now. "You must believe that my feelings for Vivian were not real." I didn't say anything. He looked so sincere, and his eyes were bright with an emotion I was afraid to name. "I've never loved another," he said, so sure of himself. And that's what undid me.

I bit my lip to stop it from quivering as Arthur stepped forward, brushing a stray lock behind my ear. Against my will, I leaned into his touch. "But one day you will," I managed to say. "You'll find your real princess. One day you'll be King of Camelot, and I cannot be your queen." I fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

I had what every girl dreamed of: Arthur Pendragon standing in front of me, telling me he loved me. And I'd turned him down. I was such an idiot.

"I don't believe that," he said, caressing my cheek. How was I supposed to be able to think when he did that? "I love you, and I know you love me too, don't you?"

I couldn't lie to him. "I do love you, but we can't be together, Arthur."

"Yes we can," he whispered, kissing a wayward tear away. "When I'm king, I can change the law."

"But until then–" I started, but Arthur wouldn't let me finish.

"Until then, we're just going to have to be very careful and not let anybody know."

Hope fluttered in my heart. Could we really…?

"I love you," he repeated, and then leaned down to kiss me. How's a girl supposed to resist that?

/*/

Five minutes later, I had fixed my hair, excused myself to Arthur, and was making my way over to the nobles' wing. Hesitantly, I knocked on the door of the king I wanted to see.

"Come in," Olaf called from inside. I walked in without closing the door. Olaf's servant had everything packed up and was hauling it down to the stables. I stepped aside to let him pass.

"Merlynn," the king said when he noticed me. "What can I do for you?"

I smiled. "Am I not supposed to ask you that, my lord?" The king waved a hand as if to dismiss the comment. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for how things went. Arthur is, too," I added.

Olaf looked at me curiously, as if I were a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out. "I'm not sorry. Arthur has proven himself to be a wise man."

I suppressed a proud smile. Arthur really had grown up a lot since I'd first seen him.

"You've forgiven him that quickly?" Olaf asked, tilting his head a little.

"It wasn't his fault – not that I'm saying that it's your daughter's, but–"

"Then whose was it? Magic?" he asked, only semi-serious. I froze, and recovered just a second too late. He saw my reaction, but only frowned. "You really do remind me…"

"You keep saying that… Who was he?" I asked curiously. This 'Balinor' was rousing my curiosity quite a bit.

The King turned from me and packed a few more items in a small bag. "Balinor was a comrade-in-arms of mine. He was a good man, and had a good head on his shoulders," he explained.

"What happened to him?" I asked quietly.

Olaf didn't answer for a while, and I was about to prompt him again when he finally spoke. "I don't know. The last time I saw him was at the end of the purge, running for his life… I suppose he died."

Realization dawned. "Was he a–" I asked, unwilling to finish the question.

Olaf finally turned around, his solemn grey eyes on mine. "Yes. But it hardly matters now; I highly doubt that he's still alive."

I didn't reply. "But why do I remind you of him?" I asked eventually, curious as to the reason.

Olaf shrugged. "You have the same lively spirit, the same fierce loyalty, and the same kind, blue eyes… I think you would have liked him."

I curtsied. "If you say so, my lord." I excused myself and rejoined Arthur in his room. He had to get ready to see off the various kings.

/*/

As Olaf and Vivian rode off – the last to leave – I was painfully reminded that the spell on Vivian wasn't broken, and I had a nasty feeling that it was going to come back to bite me…

I glanced at Arthur as we stood on the steps in the courtyard. He turned to me, gave me a soft smile, and went back into the castle. That was all the open affection I was going to get, but it was enough. I felt my heart soar. Arthur loved me! And he was willing to act on it, and to keep it a secret in order to be together.

Life, at that moment, was perfect…

**A/N: Reviews are love! And I love you guys, so...**

**Also, ideas for one-shots (or longer) for femMerlin are always welcome and accepted. I've been thinking about making a whole series of femMerlin, where she's not only paired with Arthur, but also Gwaine and Percival (I'm sorry, I don't ship her and Mordred, it's just too weird to me).**

**And lastly; check out my new FemMerlin community!**

**Review!**


	9. The Nightmare Begins part 1

**A/N: So, first of all: I'm so sorry it took this bloody long for me to update. I had a job that was keeping me busy, but now that school is about to start again, I'm hoping I'll have more time. Second: I think this is the first episode I'm completely changing, so those of you who have been waiting for me to deviate from canon storylines, you're in luck!**

**This has been a pain to write, though you lovely reviewers made me realize I've been neglecting me. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going with this ep, so it might be another week (hopefully not longer) untill I'll update again.**

**Also, I've been on a huge Doctor Who stint, and I've revived my Percy Jackson fic (what movies aren't good for, right?). Anywhoo; onwards! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9: The Nightmare begins – part 1**

Life at Camelot couldn't have been better these last few weeks. I still had an immense workload, but Arthur made it worth it. This morning, I fetched his breakfast, and headed to his room, early for once.

"Good morning, sire," I said cheerfully when I walked in. He was still in bed, so I rolled my eyes, placed the tray on the table, and went over to the bed. Sitting down on its edge, I leaned forward and brushed a stray hair out of his face. I wouldn't have dreamed of doing this only a month ago.

Arthur stirred, frowning adorably in his sleep. I smiled and pecked him on the lips, only to have strong arms wind around me and pull me in. I lost my balance and fell on top of Arthur. He didn't seem to mind, though.

The prince sighed against my lips before pulling back. "Good morning. You know, I wouldn't mind being woken up like this more often."

I rolled my eyes again and climbed off the bed. "Too bad. If I woke you up like that every morning, neither of us would get anything done."

Arthur sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying you're tempted to stay in my bed all day, Merlynn?" he teased.

I turned away so he wouldn't see my blush. He'd been trying to get me to blush an awful lot lately. "Not in the least," I replied when I could trust my voice again.

Arthur snorted, but didn't reply. He did, however, finally get out of bed and head over to his dressing screen, ever so slowly. This was another habit he'd developed in the last week or so. The prince usually slept without a shirt, but now he was going out of his way to get me to stare and blush. It was a little annoying, because I usually found myself doing exactly that.

Arthur looked back and saw me staring. He smirked. I narrowed my eyes at him, grabbed the laundry basket, and strode purposefully out of the room.

On my way over to the laundry room, I ran into Gwen. "Good morning, Gwen. How are you?" I asked, smiling at the other maid.

Gwen was carrying her own basket of laundry to be done for Morgana. "I'm good, a little tired is all. You?"

"I'm good. Arthur's being a prat, as usual, but he always finds ways to make up for it later," I reply, grinning a little cheekily.

Gwen laughed. "I still think it's odd – the two of you together."

I shrugged. "It's not like anyone can see. Even when it's just you, he doesn't want to let anything on," I said, rolling my eyes. "Men: they're impossible."

"I agree. I'm glad I'm working for Morgana," Gwen said, entering the laundry room. It was mostly empty, as the maids generally didn't start doing laundry until later in the day.

"How is Morgana?" I asked curiously.

Gwen pursed her lips. "She's still not sleeping well, especially lately. Her nightmares have been keeping her up, and Gaius's sleeping draughts aren't helping much. She doesn't leave her room very often anymore," she explained, a frowning worriedly.

I bit my lip. "I'll see if I can come by after lunch today to see how she's doing."

/*/

One of the perks of being with the person you're working for is that persuading them to give you a few hours off is that much easier – not to mention a lot more fun.

An hour after having brought Arthur his lunch, I made my way over to Morgana's chambers. Gwen answered the door when I knocked. The lady herself sat up in her bed, clutching her head. I rushed over.

"Morgana, are you alright?" I asked, concerned. I sat down next to her and put an arm around her. She looked up at me, and I could clearly see the bags under her eyes and the exhausted expression on her face. She must've been terrified to go back to sleep.

"Stupid question, I'm sorry… I wish there was more I could do," I whispered, pulling her closer to me. "Do you want to sleep now? I can keep watch while Gwen works."

"Won't Arthur need you?" she asked. Morgana didn't know about Arthur and me. She knew I had feelings for the prince, and she suspected he might return them, but I hadn't told her about anything more specific. I knew it hurt her that I refused to tell her when she asked, but she understood that I didn't want to talk about it.

"He gave me some time off," I replied, shaking my head.

Morgana smirked, and looked just a little less tired. "Oh, did he? I wonder why."

I blushed and lightly shoved her shoulder. "Stop it, and sleep. I'll be right here if you have any nightmares."

And, miraculously, she did.

/*/

I stayed with Morgana for a few hours while she slept, but left Gwen to tend to her when she woke in time for dinner. I convinced myself she'd be fine that night as she hadn't had any nightmares while I was there, and made sure she took Gaius's tonic. Arthur was more than a little grumpy when I brought him his food – one noble or other had insulted him, and he hadn't been able to retort. Poor baby.

/*/

**Arthur POV**

Merlynn rolled her eyes. "Let it go, Arthur. When you're king, you're going to have to deal with this every day."

The prince moodily bit into his chicken. "But it's not fair. Why do they all have to be so arrogant? I'm the prince, I should be able to tell them to shove it whenever I want to!" he whined. He knew he sounded like a child, but he didn't care.

Merlynn muttered something that sounded suspiciously like _sounds like someone I know_, but when he asked, she replied, "Nothing," blinking at him innocently.

She was beautiful. And Arthur was ridiculously happy that he could actually think – and say – that about her now, so he did.

Merlynn blushed that delicious red that he loved so much. Arthur had been making it a game – trying to get her to blush as often as he could. It made him feel a little smug that he had that kind of effect on her. She mumbled a _thanks_ and went over to his bed to throw back the covers, which led his thoughts to places they really shouldn't be going now. Arthur focussed on his food instead.

"So, what did you do this afternoon?" he asked.

"I watched over Morgana and talked Gwen into helping me repair that shirt of yours," she replied, gathering up the laundry. She paused, biting her lip. While Arthur thought it was adorable, it also usually meant something was bothering her.

"Yes?" he prompted.

"Morgana's nightmares have been getting worse; she's terrified of even going to sleep. Gaius's sleeping draughts aren't helping at all anymore. I'm worried about her, Arthur," Merlynn said, putting her basket down and walking over.

'_She really would make a great Queen,'_ Arthur thought absently, before shoving that idea firmly to the back of his mind. Where had that come from?

"I'm sure it's just a phase," he said hurriedly, hoping the thought hadn't shown on his face. "She's had them before, you know."

"Never this bad," she countered. "Or at least, never in the year I've been here."

Arthur frowned. "You've only been here a year?" It had seemed to him like he'd known Merlynn forever.

She smiled and cleared away his plates. "More like a year and a half. I came here two springs ago, and it's summer now."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I know what time of year it is, Merlynn."

The maid suppressed a grin. "Just making sure, sire. You usually don't worry your pretty little head over little things like that."

Arthur smirked. "But you _do_ think I'm pretty."

"Arthur, I think you're more than pretty," she said with the tone of an adult talking to a four-year-old, "but I also think you're an arse. A royal one, remember?" she added, grinning.

"How could I forget?" he asked, catching her hand and kissing her palm. "I think you're the first one, aside from Morgana, who ever stood up to me."

Merlynn blushed again, but was still grinning. "Someone had to. Otherwise your head might've gotten too big for your crown," she said dryly. "But if you want your laundry done anytime today, I need to go take it downstairs. Goodnight, Arthur."

I grinned at her again and watched her go. Merlynn was… hard to describe. But she made him happy, and he'd like to believe that he did the same for her. He still had the feeling that she didn't always tell him everything, but then again, it was _Merlynn_: she couldn't keep a secret to save her life.

Arthur shook his head and finished his dinner. No one could figure out Merlynn anyway.

/*/

**Merlynn POV**

I couldn't help but wonder how I'd gotten myself into this predicament; it seemed like the whole bloody castle was angry with me! Well, the whole castle except for Morgana and Gwen. Technically speaking, it was all Morgana's fault, but I couldn't bring myself to be angry with the confused Lady.

It started when Morgana had a dream – or, rather, a vision – and did magic in her sleep. It had woken me up in the middle of the night, and, when I'd followed the feeling through the castle, it had led me to Morgana's chambers, where Arthur and a couple of guards were trying their best to console the sobbing woman.

Uther was convinced it had been someone trying to kidnap his ward, but I could see in Morgana's eyes that she knew that it was her own doing.

Gaius told me not to get involved, and that it was better for everyone to just continue to pretend they were just nightmares, instead of visions. But how did that help anyone? I agreed that Uther shouldn't find out under any circumstances, but letting Morgana believe she was crazy?

The Dragon wasn't any help, either. He said that I shouldn't help 'the witch', and that she was destined to become evil. But this was Morgana we were talking about. She was a noble who cared about the people, who went hungry during the famine because she gave her food to the children. She helped my village when it would've been much easier for her to turn a blind eye.

Neither Gaius nor the Dragon understood, so I went to the one person I could think of who might.

"Hi, Gwen. Can I come in?" I asked, after having shown up at her house that night.

If Gwen was surprised to find me there, she didn't show it. "Of course."

We sat down at her table while the kettle hung over the fire. A cup of tea sounded like just what I needed right now. "What's the matter?" the other maid asked calmly.

I told her of my predicament. "What should I do, Gwen? If I tell her about my powers, something might go wrong and I could die, or someone might use her to try and figure out my identity – or worse, Uther might find out and kill us both. But if I don't tell her, it might drive her crazy, and cause her to do even more dangerous magic…"

Gwen went and got the hot water, pouring us some tea and not saying anything for the longest time. When she had finally sat back down again, and had taken a sip of her tea, she looked up. "Do you have to tell her about your powers, though?" she suggested.

I frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Gwen shifted a little on her chair, clearly not sure about what she was saying. "I mean, your biggest problem about telling her would be that your secrets would be in danger, right?"

"Gwen, it's not that simple. Camelot–" I started, but she cut me off with an impatient wave.

"I know Camelot and Arthur need you – that's not my point. I mean, what if you helped Morgana, but just didn't tell her you have powers of your own?"

My frown deepened. "How could I do that? There's no way I could know enough magic to teach another magic user without possessing some of my own. She'd never…"

"You told us your friend Will was a sorcerer, right?" Gwen said, her eyebrows raised.

Then I saw what she was getting at. "You want me to pretend I learned a whole bunch from Will, and pass it on to her?" I asked, incredulous. It wasn't a bad plan per se, but there was so much that could go wrong. Then again, what other choice did I have?

**A/N: Semi-cliffie, I'm sorry ^^**

**QUESTION! I've had this idea for a Modern AU femMerlin fic, but I'm not sure if I should start another fanfic while I still have 3 going... What do you guys think?**


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